An Awakening in Cold Steel
by YuShaJi
Summary: Morgan starts her new life as a student at Thors Military Academy. Naturally, she finds herself in the middle of a growing crisis. (Based around the perspective of Morgan from Fire Emblem Awakening with possible rotating perspectives and changes in the narrative, but no other Fire Emblem characters are present for now. Cover photo is drawn by Ramyeon Doodles.)
1. Prologue, Part 1

" _Go! Get into the portal!"_

" _F-father?!"_

 _The girl watched helplessly as the face that once belonged to her father contorted with pain. "Go now! Please, while I've still...got a hold of myself…!"_

" _But what about you?" the girl cried. "And where will this take me?"_

" _A better place," her father said. "A better...time. It's the least I can do for...having to put up with a father like me."_

" _Please don't say that, Father." Tears started streaming from her eyes. "I don't consider you a burden, and I don't want to leave you behind!"_

" _Tell me...do you still have the book I gave you? The one we used to read together?"_

" _The strategy book? Of course! I have it right here…" The girl started to pull it out before her father stopped her._

" _So long as you have that, I'm sure that you'll be able to find your way back. Now quickly! Before he comes-" Before he could finish, he let out a roar of agony. A black aura began to manifest around him._

" _FOOL! I WILL BANISH HER MYSELF!" The father yelled in an ominous voice. His eyes flashed red and his right hand began to glow with purple flames._

" _Don't you...lay a finger on her!" With his other hand, he attempted to direct the magic away from his child. "Please, my daughter. Go!"_

" _Father...I'm so sorry!" The girl rushed towards the portal._

" _YOU WON'T BE GOING ANYWHERE!"_

" _I won't let you!" Knowing that he won't be able to stop the spell in time, the white-haired man quickly whispered his own incantation, hoping to mitigate its effects or, better yet, change them entirely._

" _THIS IS THE PRICE FOR FAILURE. BEGONE!" With those last words, a burst of fire shot forth from his hand. The girl turned back to see the magic coming towards her and could only put her arms in front of her for protection as she braced herself for the end._

* * *

Morgan woke up with a start, the picture of searing flames still fresh in her mind. She could feel her heart pounding against her chest as she quickly looked around to get a bearing on her surroundings. She realized she was no longer on top of a castle overlooking a barren wasteland; she was in the safe confines of her bedroom in her apartment.

The girl with neck-length black hair took a few breaths to ease herself. Her hands instinctively reached towards the scar that ran diagonally up her face. "The week hasn't even begun yet and I'm already reliving bad memories. I hope this doesn't become the norm…" Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she checked the clock sitting next to her bed on a small desk. It read 8:43. 'It takes about twenty minutes to get from Heimdallr to Trista, right?' she thought. 'And the ceremony begins at 10:30. I COULD sleep in for a little bit longer…' She let the thought linger for a moment before shaking her head. 'On second thought, sleep doesn't sound so welcoming after that nightmare, and besides, I wouldn't want to be late to my first day of school, now would I?'

Getting out of her bed, Morgan walked over to a nearby window and drew back the curtains that were covering it. As the light from the morning sun entered the room, she was greeted with the familiar view of a large city with busy streets and buildings made from red bricks. Visible in the distance was an enormous palace situated in the middle of a large body of water.

After taking in a deep breath, she clapped her hands on her cheeks. "All right, Morgan!" she said to herself. "You're not on a battlefield anymore; you're just another normal student getting ready for her first day at school. What's there to be afraid of?" Feeling better than she was when she first woke up, she turned around to get herself ready for her first year at Thors Military Academy. "'A good tactician has nothing to fear!' Father...Mother...just watch me!"

* * *

Around 20 minutes later, Morgan was on the next train heading towards Trista. In truth, there was little need for her to get ready that morning; she had already finished packing the night before, and the only things she needed to have on hand for the first day of school according to the guidebook that was issued to her were a weapon and an odd device that appeared to be an orbment, also issued by the school. Oh, and the school uniform, but that was something that was self-explanatory for a military academy. Anything else that was deemed necessary, like extra changes of clothes, toiletries, and other essentials, was already packaged and sent to the school many weeks prior. Morgan didn't worry about it too much, however; since Trista, the town where the military academy was located, and Heimdallr, where her apartment was, were so close to each other via train, she figured that in the off chance she did miss something (which she likely didn't; she always made sure to check and recheck anything with her name on it), she could easily go back to Heimdallr to pick it up and then come back to Trista. She had considered commuting to school so she didn't have to move out of her apartment, but she ultimately decided against it. Going to a formal school was something Morgan rarely had the chance to do, and she was determined to get the full authentic experience.

As she was sitting in the train, she looked around at the other passengers in her train car. There were some elderly folk and a few people in business clothes, but the people that caught Morgan's eye were the teenagers around her age that were wearing green jackets in contrast to her red one. If it weren't for the lion emblem that was etched onto the left arm of all of their jackets, any person would have assumed that they were each going to different schools. 'From the looks of things, it's probably to tell which class each of us are in,' Morgan thought. 'Although, I'm a bit surprised that I haven't seen any other people wearing red jackets. Makes me feel kind of lonely.'

Eventually, a jingle sounded over the intercom, grabbing her attention. "We are now arriving at...Trista. When disembarking, please ensure no belongings are left behind," said a female voice.

"Well, I guess that's my cue!" Morgan took hold of her weapon, or rather, her weapon that was in a brown lute case, and felt her shirt pocket to check that the school orbment she placed in it was still there. Once the train entered the station and came to a complete stop, the black-haired girl stood up and moved with the rest of the uniformed teenagers to exit the train.

Trista from the outset looked rather small, but that did little to dampen its welcoming atmosphere. There were various shops with signs posted on the buildings all placed around a little park with benches and flowers in it. Upon further inspection, Morgan saw that there were lino flowers growing on the trees surrounding the park. "I've never seen this many bloom in one place," she remarked to herself. "I wonder if they're local?" She moved on from the park and noticed a giant building far off in the distance. Judging from its size, she determined that it was the academy and started walking towards it.

As Morgan moved onward, she took note of the people she walked by. The various locals who weren't dressed in uniform all seemed to know each other, as the adults were casually talking amongst each other and the children were running around and playing with each other. The smiles on their faces made her feel fuzzy inside. The soon-to-be students who also made their way to the academy were mostly wearing the green jackets she saw before, though Morgan also started seeing some who were wearing white clothes as well. Judging from the way the students in white carried themselves to the way they talked to their peers to some of the colors of their hair, Morgan guessed that they were primarily nobles or at least people of similar status. Likewise, she guessed that the students wearing green jackets, based on their larger numbers and more casual attitudes, were commoners. This did raise a question in Morgan's head: would her class be comprised of mostly commoners or nobles? She had yet to encounter anyone who wore a red uniform like she did, though she attributed that to her arriving earlier than usual. However, she had begun to notice a couple of people pointing at her uniform and giving her an odd look, and it was starting to make her feel a little uncomfortable. She made a mental note to ask the people at the school about it later.

At last, she reached the entrance to the academy, where she took a moment to look at her surroundings. Before her was what she presumed to be the main school building, a large two-story structure with a belfry in the middle. More trees with lino flowers were planted in front of the building. To the left of the main building was what seemed to be an auditorium of sorts, as the students that came through the front gates were all motioned to make their way over there. Just as she was about to follow the crowd, she heard a voice say: "Excuse me! You there in the red jacket!"

Morgan turned to the direction of the voice. Walking towards her were two people, one a chubby boy wearing yellow clothes and goggles and the other a petite girl with brown hair wearing the green Thors uniform and holding a clipboard and pencil in her hands. "Hi! Welcome to Thors Military Academy," said the smaller girl. "We're handling the check-ins for the students in red, so could you tell us your name?"

"Um, Morgan," the girl replied. "Morgan G. Daraen from Heimdallr."

"Morgan…" the smaller girl looked at her clipboard and checked off a name. "Yup, I got it. You're the first one here!"

'First one?' Morgan thought. 'I'm definitely not the first student here, so maybe she means the students in red? If so, then that means there has to be others, right?'

"Is that your weapon you've got there, Morgan?" asked the chubby boy, breaking Morgan's train of thought. "If so, I'll need to hold on to that for the time being." Morgan handed the chubby boy her lute case without protest. "Thanks. We should be able to return it to you before long. You'll hardly even miss it."

"And with that, you're successfully checked in!" The petite girl gave a thumbs up. "The entrance ceremony is going to be held in the auditorium where the other students are going, so go out there and have a good first day at Thors!"

"Will do!" Morgan gave a thumbs up back. "But before that, is it okay if I ask a question first?"

"If it's about which class you're in or why you're wearing a red jacket, then I'm afraid we can't say much right now," said the petite girl apologetically. "However, I promise that once the opening ceremony is over, there will be time for you to ask questions to a designated expert, so could you hold on tight until then?"

Morgan breathed a sigh of reluctant defeat. At least she tried. "Sure," she said. "I've waited several weeks for this; I'm sure I can handle at least another hour or so. Thanks anyways…" Morgan took a moment to look at the two people in front of her. "Uh, sorry, who are you two again?"

"I'm George Nome, second year, Class III," replied the chubby boy in yellow. "And this little munchkin here is Towa Herschel from Class IV, surprisingly also a second year." He put his hand on her head, further accentuating the difference in their height.

Towa immediately started pouting. "G-George! Stop teasing me in front of the new first years! You're getting as bad as Crow!"

George chuckled. "Hey, blame him for being a bad influence last year. And besides, I'm only saying what everyone else is thinking every time they see you." He looked at Morgan in the eye. "Come on, you thought she was young too, right?"

"Well…" Morgan put a finger to her chin, wondering how to best express her opinion without offending anyone. "You were already wearing the school uniform so I figured you weren't that much younger than me...but yeah, I didn't think you were a second year."

Towa started whimpering. "Ooh, there goes a solid first impression." She cleared her throat. "A-anyways, we can't help you now, but if you have any questions in the next couple of weeks, just feel free to ask us. Oh, and there's no need for formalities when you're with us; we're all students here, after all."

Morgan nodded. "I'll keep that in mind. Thanks, you two."

Waving farewell to the two upperclassmen, Morgan started to head to the auditorium. Before she entered, however, she decided to turn back. "I've still got plenty of time until the assembly starts," she said to herself. "How about I take a little walk and scout the area?" With that, she started walking around the school campus to familiarize herself with her surroundings. Once her time was up, she headed for the auditorium.

* * *

"'Arise, O youth, and become the foundation of the world.'"

The academy's Principal Vandyck, a tall, broad-shouldered man with matching gray hair and facial hair, recited the school's mandate as part of his welcoming speech. "Though much has happened these past two and a quarter centuries, the world is still the domain of the young. Yet the question still remains…" The principal paused briefly for dramatic effect. "What qualities must one possess to become a part of its foundation?" The air in the auditorium turned serious as the principal let the question hang in the air. A few moments later, however, he gave a reassuring smile to the new students. "I hope this credo will serve as a guide and an inspiration to you during your two years at this academy. Go forth, my students. The world awaits the great things you will one day accomplish." With those closing words, the room roared with applause.

'The youth shall become the foundation of the world,' Morgan recounted the words in her mind. 'Those are certainly words to live by.'

After this, one of the teachers announced that students will be gathering to their assigned classes as specified in their notebook. The students wearing green jackets and the ones wearing white jackets all got up and exited the auditorium in an orderly fashion. But as for those who were wearing red jackets...

"The class designated in our guidebook?" asked a boy with red-orange hair. "I don't remember seeing anything like that…"

The black-haired boy standing next to him shook his head. "There wasn't any information on that in mine, either. I just assumed they'd tell us where to go after the ceremony."

Morgan took this opportunity to look at the students who remained in the auditorium. Including herself, she counted that there were ten students wearing the red uniform, five boys and five girls. All of them seemed different in both personality and physical appearance. For instance, there was one boy who was taller than the rest, had darker skin, and wore a red vest rather than a blazer. In contrast, a short girl with silver hair had her school tie crudely put together and didn't seem to be interested in what was going on at all. Seeing such a colorful group of individuals gathered together in one place made Morgan feel oddly nostalgic inside.

As all of them were wrapping their heads around the situations a loud female voice called out to them from the front of the auditorium. "All riiiiight! Students in red uniforms, if I can I have your attention please?" The students turned to see a young woman with violet hair tied up to a knot wearing a yellow shirt and dark blue jacket. "By now you're probably all confused and thinking 'where's MY class assignment?' That's perfectly understandable, though - your situation is a little more complicated than the other students'." The woman stressed the word "little", likely indicating that things were actually very complicated. "But before I explain, I'd like all of you to join me for a special orienteering exercise."

A few mumbles emerged from the other students. A girl with blond hair questioned if the woman meant 'orientation' rather 'orienteering'. "Worry not! Everything will be made clear soon enough!" assured the woman. "Now, right this way, if you would." She motioned for the confused teens to follow her out the door.

The students were hesitant, however, and they all looked at each other as if each of them were silently asking another person if following the perky woman was a good idea. Morgan, however, wasted no time in getting up from her seat and following the female instructor. "Well, no point in just standing around worrying, am I right?" she reasoned as she exited the building. After taking a couple of steps away from the auditorium, she looked back to see that the other students wearing red were following her. Morgan snickered at the thought of her playing follow-the-leader and started picking up her pace to catch up to the instructor.

Eventually, the violet-haired woman came to a stop at an old rundown building that appeared to be an old schoolhouse. 'It looks so old,' Morgan thought. 'I wonder if it's haunted?' Meanwhile, the female instructor walked up to the front door and started humming to herself like there wasn't a care in the world. She brought out a key and started fiddling with the door.

"What does she even want us to do here?" the blond haired girl asked to no one in particular.

A green-haired boy wearing glasses looked like he was a few breaths away from fuming. "Is she ever going to tell us what's going on?!"

If the instructor heard anything, she showed no intentions of responding. In fact, from the looks of things, she secretly seemed to enjoy toying with the confused teenagers. At last, she unlocked the door to the old schoolhouse and kicked it open, surprising the students with her behavior, before casually walking in.

The students were left speechless for a few moments. A girl with long blue hair tied into a ponytail finally spoke up. "I suppose we'll have to go inside and see for ourselves what awaits us."

Morgan decided that now was a better time than ever to stop waiting. "Last one in's a rotten egg!" Surprising the other teens with her enthusiasm, she promptly dashed up the stairs and entered the old schoolhouse. One silent moment later, the other students cast aside their worries for the time being and followed her in.

* * *

"The name's Sara Valestein," said the female instructor once all the students were inside the old schoolhouse. She was standing off to the side on a higher platform, which gave her a sense of authority over the clueless masses. "I'm the instructor in charge of Class VII, which means you get the pleasure of seeing me all year. Glad to finally meet you!"

Morgan was about to say "Nice to meet you too", but upon noticing that the other students weren't keen on saying "hi" back, she abstained her comment.

"Hang on," said the green-haired boy with glasses. "Did you just say 'Class VII'?"

The boy with red-orange hair looked around at the other teenagers. "U-us?"

The girl with long blue hair put her hand on her chin. "I'm not sure I understand. I wasn't told anything about this at enrollment."

"E-excuse me, Instructor Sara?" asked a girl with braided brown hair and glasses. "I was under the impression that there were only five classes at this academy and that students were split among them based on their social class and home region."

The female instructor gave an approving smile. "Right you are, Miss Top Scorer on the Thors entrance exam! Students in each year are divided into five classes: two for the nobility, and three for commoners. And it's been that way for ages…" Instructor Sara paused for dramatic effect. "Right up through last year. But this year, we decided to shake things up a little." This elicited a few mumbles from the students. "We now have a sixth class," the female instructor continued. "Fittingly titled 'Class VII.' In this class, we recognize no distinction between nobles and commoners."

"Wait…" said the black-haired boy. "You just jumped straight from V to VII?"

Morgan snorted and couldn't help but let out a retort. " _That's_ what you're worried about?"

"Y-you're really putting nobles and commoners in the same class?" reiterated the blond-haired girl.

"This must be some kind of joke!" yelled an irate voice. It came from the bespectacled boy with green hair. "And why is this the first I've heard of it?!"

Sara turned to the bespectacled boy. "Well, you see...uh…" The female instructor tapped her finger to her head trying to recall the student's name. "Sorry, who were you again?"

"Machias Regnitz!" said the bespectacled boy. "And with all due respect, Instructor, it's ludicrous to intermix nobles and commoners like this! Must I be forced to spend my next two years shoulder to shoulder with those arrogant, stuck-up hedonists?!"

Morgan winced. Not only was he angrily proclaiming his apparent distaste for nobles, he seemed to deliberately polish up his word choice to make it seem like he was mocking them. Still, the boy's name sounded familiar to her. Regnitz...where had she heard that name before? Then she remembered. The name of the current Imperial Governor of Heimdallr and the first commoner to ever hold the seat was...Carl Regnitz, a man who Morgan just remembered also had green hair and wore glasses. Given that information, it was safe to assume that Machias was his son. Recalling that little tidbit only made Morgan more annoyed with the boy; though it was true that Governor Regnitz attained the position through years of hard work, that doesn't change the fact that the son of the Imperial Governor shouldn't be one to give a lecture on the importance of social standing. At least, that was what she thought.

As she was thinking this, Machias continued to argue with the female instructor until a regal-looking boy with blond hair made an offhand remark about the irony of his behavior. From the judgmental look in his eyes, it looked like he recognized the family from which Machias came from as well. Machias naturally didn't back down. "It seems the scion of some noble house has left the comfort of his mansion to grace the unwashed masses with his wisdom!" he proclaimed sarcastically. "Please, milord, do share your esteemed name with us so I can give you all the respect you deserve!"

It was for a brief moment, but Morgan thought she saw the blond-haired boy's eye twitch. "Not that I would expect the name of an arrogant, stuck-up hedonist to lodge itself in that hard head yours, but since you asked so politely…" He put his hand on his hip and turned to face the rest of the students. "My name is Jusis Albarea. I believe that should speak for itself." That sent a wave of surprise through the students, save for the tall, tan boy who seemed confused as to what the name entailed and the silver-haired girl who merely stifled a yawn.

The Albarea family were part of the Four Great Houses, with the other three consisting of the Cayenne, Hyarms, and Rogner families, and each of those houses ruled over a major Erebonian province. With the exception of the imperial family, they were without a doubt the most powerful and influential nobles in the country. Even Machias was taken aback for a moment upon realizing his status, but he quickly regained his anger and was about to fire back another comment before Sara intervened. "I'm sure a couple of you have a few grievances, but now's not the time. We've still got our orienteering exercise to take care of, so if you still have any other complaints, I can hear them later." Machias and Jusis gave one last distasteful look at each other before respectfully turning their attention to Sara. "Thank you."

"You keep mentioning this…'orienteering exercise'," said the blond-haired girl. "What exactly does that involve?"

"It's a form of outdoor competition, isn't it?" wondered the bespectacled girl. "Something like a cross between a map-reading exercise and a scavenger hunt?"

Competition...exercise...scavenger hunt? After pondering those words for a bit, something clicked in Morgan's mind. "Is that why those two asked for my weapon back at the front gate?" she thought aloud.

That caught the attention of the instructor. "You're a keen one, aren't you? Yup, all of that was in preparation for this." She then took a few steps back towards a stone pillar, an impish grin starting to emerge on her face. "Buuuuut I don't want to spoil the fun, so let's get started, shall we?" Winking at the puzzled students, she reached over to the pillar, revealed a secret button, and pressed it. The ground suddenly started shaking beneath the students' feet.

"...!" Before her mind could even process what was happening, Morgan's body shifted to autopilot and immediately started moving. Not a moment later, the floor gave way from underneath the students, revealing a trap door that lead to who-knows-where. The sudden shift in terrain threw the teenagers off balance, causing them all to slide off the incline into a lower level...with the sole exceptions of Morgan, who successfully managed to jump to the side, and the silver-haired girl, who was hanging from a ceiling ledge with a grappling hook.

Sara was not amused. "Come on, Fie. No cheating. You're going with them, and that's that. What's the point in having an icebreaker if you don't make a couple of new friends?" She brought out a throwing knife and expertly tossed it at the grappling hook, cutting the wire. The silver-haired girl could only let out the word "Lame" before gravity took hold of her.

Sara then turned to Morgan, who was dusting herself off. "And you!"

Morgan immediately straightened up. "Y-yes, ma'am?"

"I'm surprised you managed to react so quickly. I'd commend you right now, but unfortunately I'm going to have to ask you to move on down there. We can't start the icebreaker unless everyone is accounted for. Also, don't call me 'ma'am'; it makes me feel old."

"Um, alright ma-Instructor!" Morgan inched closer to the steep incline and peeked her head over one of the sides. Though it was fairly dark, she could see the bottom. "This thing _is_ safe, right?"

"Don't worry about it," assured the instructor. "This thing was designed to as non-lethal as possible. Now go on and get moving...unless you want me to use force?"

"Nope! I'm perfectly fine! I'll go down by myself." Morgan took a couple deep breaths to ready herself. 'I certainly didn't expect this when I woke up today,' she thought. 'This is going to be an...interesting two years, isn't it?' And with that, she hopped onto the incline and started sliding down to the bottom.

Watching her disappear from sight, Sara couldn't help wonder about the girl with black hair. "Her actions were quick and precise. Even some of the jaegers I've seen couldn't react to a trap like she did. It's just like with Fie; that girl has definitely seen combat before...and not the pleasant kind either." The twenty-five year old woman let out a sigh. "I've gotten quite the handful of kids, haven't I?"

* * *

Morgan successfully landed at the bottom of the incline. The other teenagers in red were already standing up, though Morgan couldn't help but notice that the boy with black hair was holding his cheek as if he'd been hit. She nervously scratched her cheek. "Um...did I miss anything while I was gone?"

She received a multitude of different answers all at once. "N-no!" "I guess…?" "Maaayyybe." "Hmph!" Morgan decided it was in her best interests to abstain from asking for the time being.

Just then, the students heard a ringing sound. Or rather, several ringing _sounds_. Each of them checked their pockets where they kept their school-issued devices to find that the sounds were coming from them. "I've been wondering ever since I got this," Morgan said, "but are these supposed to be orbments? They sort of look like them."

" _Right you are!_ " a familiar voice said from each of the orbments. " _These handy little devices are a special kind of battle orbment._ "

The sound of Instructor Sara coming from the devices surprised the students. "Is that...Ms. Valestein?" the tall boy asked to make sure.

"So these devices have built-in communications functionality, then…?" inquired Machias.

"W-wait, don't tell me these things are…?!" the blond-haired girl started to say, but she was promptly interrupted by Instructor Sara. " _New model battle orbments made through a partnership between the Epstein and Reinford Company. Newly made fifth-generation battle orbments, in fact. They're called ARCUS units._ "

"ARCUS…" The black-haired boy whispered the name to himself.

"So these are battle orbments," the bespectacled girl restated. "That means they'll allow us to use arts, right?"

" _Sure will!_ " the female instructor confirmed. " _Just set a quartz into one of its slots, and you can use arts all the live long day. And as an added bonus, I've prepared enough quartz for each and every one of you to help you get started._ " As she said this, the room suddenly started to light up. The lamps adorning the walls that were once dark were now turned on, revealing the presence of several small desks, each with a person's luggage and a small box on it. " _The weapons you brought are all here too, each packaged neatly along a little box containing a quartz. Find yours, and try setting the quartz into your ARCUS._ " After that, the instructor hung up, leaving the students no choice but to do as she directed.

Morgan spotted her lute case in the far right of the room and walked towards it. After opening the case to see that the weapon concealed inside it was undamaged, she opened up the little box that was put alongside it. The box, as Instructor Sara mentioned, contained a quartz that was to be inserted into the ARCUS. Morgan's quartz shone a brilliant blue color and had the pattern of what appeared to be a staff with a jewel in the center of the head engraved into it. After gazing at it for a little bit, Morgan inserted the quartz into the center of her ARCUS, where it fastened itself with little trouble. Once that was done, a blue-white light began to emanate from both her chest and her ARCUS unit. Similar lights began to appear as each of the other students inserted their quartz into their respective ARCUS units.

"What in the world?" Morgan heard the black-haired boy say.

" _That light means that you've successfully synchronized with your ARCUS._ " Instructor Sara's voice promptly replied. " _Congratulations! Now you can use arts as much as you want._ "

'Provided that they don't run out of energy, at least,' Morgan thought to herself.

" _These ARCUS units have plenty more nifty features,_ " the instructor continued," _but I wouldn't want to bombard you with too much info all at once, so we'll cover those another time. Anyway, since you've got your ARCUS all set up and ready to go, here's what I want you to do._ " As if on cue, a door in the opposite side from where everyone fell opened on its own. Morgan wasn't sure if it was remotely controlled or if the old schoolhouse really was haunted. " _When you step through that door, you'll be in an underground testing area. Basically...it's a dungeon._ "

'A dungeon on school grounds?' Morgan thought. 'I know this is a military academy, but who thought that was an okay idea?'

" _It's pretty large and full of twists and turns. I'd almost guarantee that you'll get lost at least once. But when you find the exit, you'll be able to return to the first floor of this old schoolhouse._ "

'Good, there's an exit.' Morgan breathed a sigh of relief. 'At least we won't be stranded here until-'

" _There ARE monsters wandering around though, so don't let your guard down even for a moment!_ "

'Ooof course there are.'

" _With all that said, let's commence our special orienteering exercise! Your objective is to make your way through this area and back to the surface. Make it back in one piece and I'll be happy to field any complaints you might have. If you make it back safely, I might even give you a kiss, free of charge! ...On the cheek, of course._ " On that note, the call ended.

All the students gathered in front of the open door and stared at each other in silence.

"U-umm…" the boy with red-orange hair tried to say something to break the tension.

"...I don't think she's joking," said the blond-haired girl nervously.

'The orienteering exercise, the monsters, or the kiss on the cheek?' Morgan wondered. She figured it probably wasn't the last one.

Jusis, meanwhile, gave a small "hmph" and started walking to the open door. Unsurprisingly, it was Machias who immediately took note of this. "And just where do you think you're going? Were you planning to wander off on your own without saying anything?!"

The noble turned to face the green-haired boy. "I have no interest in becoming friends with anyone here," he answered, "and I'm surprised that you, of all people, give a damn what I do. Unless…" Jusis started to stroke his chin, the same judgmental look appearing in his eyes. "You've suddenly decided that you DO want to keep company with one of those 'stuck-up hedonists' after all." This elicited a growl from Machias. "Still, if you're afraid of the monsters, I suppose I could accompany you," Jusis added sarcastically. "After all, what kind of Erebonian noble would I be if I didn't have at least some degree of prowess with a sword? And noblesse oblige dictates that it's my sacred duty to protect powerless commoners such as yourself."

"Wh-WHAT THE HELL?!" Machias fumed, his anger reaching his limit. "Nobody's asking your high excellency to DEIGN to help us!" He started making his way to the door. "But if that's how you're going to be, I'll just...find my way out of here before you! I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself without some relic of an outdated class system dragging me down!" With those words, he huffed and entered the dungeon. Jusis gave a silent scoff and followed him shortly after.

The rest of the students simply watched them go. "Is it just me, or did it seem like he was deliberately provoking him?" Morgan asked once both of them were out of sight.

"You're not the only one who got that vibe. This is going to be a difficult year if this keeps up…" the blond girl sighed.

"Um, I'm not sure if you're one to talk, considering you and Rean are still...you know," piped the boy with red-orange hair.

Both the black-haired boy and blond-haired girl perked up, as if remembering something unsavory, before the latter crossed her arms and let out an angry snort. Seeing that confirmed Morgan's suspicions that something happened between the two of them while she was still up there with Instructor Sara.

"A-anyways," the girl with glasses interjected, "what should WE do?"

"The only thing we CAN do," answered the girl with blue hair. "We should begin exploring these ruins ourselves. I believe it would be prudent to remain in small groups, however." At this time, the silver-haired girl, who up until this moment remained disinterested, started walking towards the door without saying a word. The other students took note of this, but none of them made any moves to stop her. They had just witnessed two of their numbers enter the dungeon by themselves, after all; the fact that the girl was willing to enter alone meant that she was at least confident enough in her capabilities to not warrant any help. "Perhaps we'll run into her along the way and she can join us then," the blue-haired girl noted before turning to the other three females left. "Would the three of you have any objections to accompanying me?"

"No, that's fine," replied the blond-haired girl.

"It would be a huge help, actually," answered the bespectacled girl.

"I'll join you, but would you mind waiting a moment?" asked Morgan. "I want to ask a question to one of these guys. I'll catch up with you in a bit, don't worry."

The blue-haired girl nodded. "That is fine. Take all the time you need. We'll move on ahead." She turned to the other two girls. "So, shall we be off?" They nodded and entered the dungeon as a group.

Once they were out of sight, Morgan turned to the three boys who were left, or rather, she turned specifically to the boy with black hair. "Let's see, you're name was...Rean, right?"

"Yeah, that's me. My full name is Rean Schwarzer, and I come from Ymir."

"I suppose now's a better time than any to ask: did something happen between you and that blond-haired girl earlier?"

Rean gave a light blush and held his left hand to his left cheek. The boy with red-orange hair asked, "You sure you want to know about that?"

Morgan nodded. "Of course! It doesn't feel good, not being in the know about something practically everyone else knows. Makes me feel left out, and it's only the first day of school! So...let's hear it. I want to hear an eyewitness testimony."

Rean sighed. "Promise you won't label me as something unsavory?"

"Yes. Well...maybe. Depends on how the story goes," she admitted.

Rean resigned himself. "Okay, here's how it went…"

Rean started telling his story. When the other students were sliding off the trap door, he saw that the blond girl had lost balance and was in no way prepared to brace herself for the fall. Reacting quickly, he moved to her position in the hopes of cushioning her fall. It worked, but it resulted in Rean getting a face full of the blond girl's chest. Once the girl realized the situation she was in, she slapped him. As he was explaining, Morgan's face switched between a myriad of emotions, from placid to surprise to intrigue to eventually laughter. "So basically, you, the gentleman that you are, tried to save a girl from falling, only to end up getting a faceful and being labelled as a pervert by said girl?" she summarized.

Rean hunched over. "Well, I guess that's one way of putting it."

"Wow, and I thought _my_ day started badly!" Morgan continued laughing for a couple more seconds before regaining her composure. "Okay, in all seriousness though," she finally said, wiping the tears from her eyes, "thanks for telling me, and sorry for laughing."

"You're not going to get angry?" Rean asked.

"Why would I?" Morgan tilted her head in confusion. "I don't think I need to be angry at someone for something that could clearly be explained as an accident. Honestly, I'm just glad I decided to hear your side of the story first; if I talked to the blond girl, she probably would have skewed the story a bit."

"And you're just going to take my story at face value?" Rean pressed.

"You don't seem like a bad guy." Morgan leaned towards Rean as if she were inspecting him. "Plus, the other two guys seem to agree with everything you said, so yeah, I'll believe you. I just hope the two of you can make up soon. We've already got enough problems in our class, as I'm sure you've already saw with our two…*ahem* prideful warriors."

Rean gave a nervous chuckle. "You've got a point."

"Well, on that note," Morgan said, clapping her hands together, "I think I'm going to see if I can catch up with the other girls! Oh, but before I forget, could the two of you tell me your names?" She pointed towards the other boys standing beside Rean.

"Uh, I'm Elliot Craig," said the one with red-orange hair.

"Gaius Worzel," said the one with tanned skin. "A pleasure to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too. My name's Morgan Daraen. Well, hope to see you on the other side!"

"Are you sure you're going to be fine?" Rean asked, a bit worried.

"Wow, you ARE a gentleman, aren't you?" Morgan said to Rean in a teasing manner. "But no worries needed! I came prepared." She brandished her weapon for the three boys to see. It was a one-handed axe with a longer, more curved blade and a handle that was divided into two parts. "Well, see you later!" And with that, she ran excitedly into the dungeon. The dissonant thought of a teenage girl freely wandering around a dungeon while gleefully handling an axe was one that the boys found both humorous and slightly unsettling.

* * *

 **Author's note: This is just something that I felt like writing up a while back. Apologies if this comes across as amateurish; this is the first fic I've written that I've taken substantial consideration into planning and writing. Will plan on completing the prologue in a couple days, but anything beyond that will have to depend on my mood and the overall reception to this.  
But if you did end up enjoying this, I'm glad I was able to hold your attention. Comment any things you liked, any criticisms, and other whatnot if you wish.  
Also, one last thing: Morgan will be the only character from Fire Emblem playing a substantial role in this, so apologies to anyone who came here looking for an actual crossover between the two universes. Sorry! (~_~;)**


	2. Prologue, Part 2

"Hey, you three! Wait up!" Morgan called out to the three girls walking through a corridor. They all turned to face her.

"Ah, hello again," said the blue-haired girl politely. "I assume things were resolved on your end?"

"Yup! Just had to ask one of the guys a quick question," Morgan responded. "Well, I caught up to you like I said I would, but I might as well ask one more time: you don't mind if I tag along?"

"I have no qualms with it," replied the blue-haired girl. "I was the one who technically asked you first, after all."

"I don't mind either," the girl with glasses agreed. "The more people we have, the better, right?"

"Then it looks like we're all in agreement," said the blond girl. "Welcome aboard."

Morgan decided to take this moment to introduce herself. "By the way, my name's Morgan Daraen. I come from Heimdallr, and this one here is my partner." She lifted her weapon for the others to see.

"That's an axe...no, the blade more resembles a bardiche." The blue-haired girl leaned in closer to inspect it. "It looks more compact than the ones I've seen, however."

Morgan grinned. "Well you see, the small size is because…" She brought her hands to the center of the handle and separated it, revealing a longer pole concealed inside it. "Depending on how things go, I can switch between a one-handed weapon for close-ranged combat and a two-handed one for mid-ranged combat. Convenient, isn't it?"

"It looks well made," the blue-haired girl remarked. "Although, I can't help but be curious as to where or by whom it was made."

"I've got some connections, but I'll save that story for another time." Morgan pushed the two parts of the original handle back together, reverting the weapon to its one-handed form. "Well, you all know my name, so why don't you let me hear yours'?"

"Certainly," the blue-haired girl said, volunteering herself. "I am Laura S. Arseid, from the town of Legram. I use a sword in combat." She pulled a large two-handed bastard sword out from a strap beside her. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Morgan."

"Arseid?" Morgan pondered for a bit, the name sounding familiar. "Do you mean like the Arseid school of swordsmanship?"

Laura nodded and smiled. "The very same. I'm surprised you know about it, given your choice of weapon."

"Um, the what now?" the blond girl asked in confusion.

"It's one of two sword styles that are well-known in Erebonia, the other being the Vander school," explained the bespectacled girl. "I've never seen it myself, but I've heard that it serves as the general basis for the techniques used by the knights of the Empire."

"On top of that, the lead practitioner is said to be the strongest swordsman in Erebonia," Morgan added. "I know some people who practice the Vander style and they mentioned the Arseid school in passing." A realization then occurred in her mind. "Wait, so if your last name is 'Arseid', then wouldn't that meant that you're related to-"

"Correct," Laura affirmed. "My father is Viscount Arseid, Lord of Legram. However, though I may be a noble, I would prefer if you not use formalities. We are all students here, after all."

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind," Morgan complied. "So who's next?"

"I'll go next," the bespectacled girl said, raising her hand. "My name is Emma Millstein, and I come from a remote region of the Empire. I was only able to attend Thors thanks to a scholarship, in fact." She bowed respectfully to Morgan. "I look forward to working with you in the future, Morgan."

"Wow, a scholarship, huh?" Morgan commented. "Now that you mention it, Instructor Sara said something about you being the top scorer on the entrance exam. You must be pretty smart."

Emma shook her head in modesty. "I wouldn't go as far to say that, though academics is probably one of the only things I have some sort of competence in. I wasn't trained in any sort of martial arts, for instance, so...I ended up getting recommended this weapon." She reached behind her and pulled out a staff with a quartz in the middle of its head. "It's called an orbal staff; think of it as a cross between a regular staff and an orbment. Truth be told, this one's still a prototype, so I don't know too much about it myself, but supposedly it makes for a more efficient way to cast arts when used in conjunction with an orbment."

"First time I've seen something like that," Morgan remarked. "You know, looking at you hold it now, it kind of reminds me of those magic staves used by witches in fairy tales."

Emma started laughing nervously. "A witch, huh? D-do I really come off like that?"

"Oh, don't you worry. I mean that in the most endearing way possible." Morgan joked, although a part of her couldn't help but feel that the mental image of Emma wearing a witch's hat and cloak was both interesting and strangely fitting at the same time. "And last but not least…"

The last of the girls perked up, taking that as her cue to introduce herself. "I'm Alisa R., from Roer."

"Wait, 'R'? Just an initial?" Morgan cut in to make sure she heard correctly.

"I do have a last name," Alisa said in a matter-of-fact tone, "but I just don't want to say it now. I have...personal reasons."

"Hmm…" Morgan tapped a finger to her chin. "Well, I won't press you on it; it's only the first day, after all. Besides, it adds a little bit of mystery to you."

"Th-that wasn't my intention," Alisa assured her. "Oh yeah, this is my weapon." She pulled out an oval-like object from behind her. After giving it a shake, the object expanded to form a familiar curved shape.

"A bow, huh?" Morgan recognized. "But I don't see any arrows…"

"That's because it doesn't need them, at least physical ones," Alisa clarified. "It's an orbal bow, kind of like Emma's orbal staff. It fires bursts of energy when I pull the string back, and depending on the type of quartz I have I can change the effects of the shots. Of course, since I don't have any on hand, they're no different from regular arrows right now."

"You seem to know a lot about this," Emma commented. "If I recall correctly, Roer is where the Reinford Company is based. Did you get your bow from there? I'm asking because my orbal staff was co-created by the Reinford Group."

"It was?" Alisa asked, slightly surprised. She turned aside and whispered "Why didn't I hear about this?" before turning back to Emma. "Well, it's true I got my bow from...somewhere in Roer, but I don't know much about the orbal staff. Just because I'm a local doesn't mean I keep track of every technological breakthrough, sorry."

"Oh no, it's fine; I was just curious," Emma responded with an earnest smile. "Anyways, since we're all acquainted now, should we keep going?"

"Of course," Laura agreed. "With luck, we may come across the others as well." With that, the four girls moved onwards in the dungeon.

Eventually they came across some of the monsters Instructor Sara mentioned were roaming across the dungeon. The group of creatures that were before them consisted of three flying cats with large feet. "It looks like we will have to fight in order to proceed further," said Laura, bringing out her sword. The other three proceeded to ready their own weapons. "They look weak, but stay on guard!"

"Right!" the other three said.

'Three flying units," Morgan thought to herself. "They look quick, but that probably means their defenses are low. I should use this opportunity to see how the others fight.' She rushed towards one flying cat and slashed it before it could realize what was coming. The feline tried to recover, but Morgan continued pressing her attack until the creature could resist no longer, finishing it off with a downwards slice. Feeling a rush of energy after having felled an enemy, she turned to look at the other girls. Off to the side, Laura was engaging another flying feline by herself. She circled the creature carefully in a state of focus, waiting for it to strike so she could attack back. The flying feline moved forward to deal a kick, as anticipated, and Laura deftly moved out of the way and cut it down with a single strike. Morgan noted that contrary to the size of the sword, Laura had no trouble swinging it with relative ease. Alisa and Emma, meanwhile, were teaming up against the last monster, having surrounded it on both sides. Emma got the monster's attention by swinging her orbal staff, conjuring several slow-moving purple orbs. The feline dodged the attack...right into the perfect position for Alisa to fire her arrow. A glint appeared in blond's red eyes as she released the bowstring, knowing full well that her arrow would hit its mark. It landed itself in the target's head and the monster fell to the ground, dead.

"I'd say that went pretty well for our first battle," Emma said.

"Sure did! Nicely done, everyone." Alisa raised her hand to give the bespectacled girl a high five.

"You know, I gotta say," Morgan said, "you're a bit different than I imagined you to be, Alisa."

The blond archer turned her attention towards the black-haired axewoman. "Really? What makes you say that?"

"I was under the impression that you were temperamental and prideful, but you're actually quite the team player. Color me surprised!"

"Wh-where did you get that idea?" Alisa's face changed from easygoing to flustered in an instant.

"Well, you seemed kind of...I don't know...cranky when I came down after all of you?" Morgan recalled. "Don't get me wrong, there are certainly better ways to start school orientation, but you seemed okay right up until that point, so I was wondering if that was your actual personality or if something happened to make you upset."

"Hmm, I see now," Laura mused. "I presume that is why you stayed behind to talk to those boys?"

Morgan rubbed the back of her head. "Hey, can't blame me for wanting to know about something I missed out on. They gave me a summary of what happened, but they didn't say anything that would imply anything else from the truth. With that said, however, I was led to believe that what happened seemed like an accident at worst." Morgan turned to Laura and Emma. "You two saw it too, right? Mind if I ask for your opinions on this?"

Laura and Emma took a moment to look at one another. "I was a bit surprised when I came to and the first thing I saw was...that," Emma finally said, a faint blush appearing on her face, "but regardless of which way one looked at it, it didn't look like it was intentional."

"Furthermore, his hands were raised up to the side so everyone could see them," Laura added. "I apologize if I come across as blunt, but I severely doubt he would do that if he had any ulterior motives. If anything, it looked like he was trying to catch you and cushion your fall."

Morgan nodded. "Yeah, that's what the other guys said, too." She turned back to Alisa. "Now, I'm not saying that you were in the wrong, but it would be best if you didn't hold a grudge against Rean - that's the guy, by the way. This class already has enough tensions as is with Machias and Jusis."

Alisa looked like she was about to say something in response, but instead she heaved a big sigh and slumped her shoulders. "Yeah, I guess you're right. When I look back on it in hindsight, I probably reacted a bit too out of hand. All the evidence was laid out for me but my body just kind of...acted on its own. I've never exactly been the best when it comes to thinking logically in the heat of things," she admitted.

"If you were able to realize that, then it seems there is nothing else for the rest of us to worry about," Laura said. "Still, an apology on both accounts would be prudent before we set this little debacle behind us."

The blond archer looked aside. "I'll...consider it. Uh, hey! We've been standing still for a while now! Why don't we move onwards?"

'What a way to change the subject,' Morgan thought. She, Laura, and Emma didn't say anything else in protest, though, so the group continued further into the dungeon.

Eventually, the girls came to a fork in the road. They decided to take a left and headed down a flight of stairs. Once they reached the bottom, they encountered some more monsters, this time a group of slimes with skin that was resistant to physical attacks but susceptible to orbal arts, thus providing the girls a good opportunity to use their new orbments.

"ARCUS activate!" each of the girls said. Auras started emanating from each of their orbments.

"Take this!" "There!" "Ha!" "Now!"

A mass of water and a bolt of fire flew forward and defeated one slime. A collection of golden magic orbs barraged another before a beam of lunar light was unleashed, eradicating it.

"I'm not particularly adept with orbal arts," Laura remarked once all of the monsters were defeated, "but it would be best to familiarize myself with them regardless."

"I don't have much experience with battle orbments myself," Emma said, "but I think I'm getting the hang of using them. This orbal staff also helps a bunch."

"Still, I wonder if there's something else that separates the ARCUS from other orbment models," Morgan wondered. "Communicators aside, it doesn't look all that different from a standard battle orbment. Alisa, you have any ideas?"

The girl from Roer shook her head. "I'm just as in the dark as the rest of you. I did hear rumors that the Reinford company was developing a new type of battle orbment, but they didn't go into specifics. It must be something major, though, otherwise we probably would have been given standard-issue orbments."

"Whatever it is, I'm sure our instructor will answer our questions in due time." Laura looked around the area where they fought the slime monsters. "It appears this way is a dead end. We should go back the way we came."

Laura led the group back up the stairs. Once they arrived back at the fork in the road, however, they came across a familiar group of male students.

Grinning, Morgan ran up to the group of boys and waved at them. "Hey guys!" she called to them. Rean, Elliot, and Gaius turned to see the black-haired girl heading their direction and greeted her. To Morgan's surprise, Machias was them as well. "Nice to see you all still hanging in there. Also, is it just me, or did you guys add another member to your team?"

"That we did," Rean confirmed. His expression then changed from friendly to panicked once the rest of Morgan's group caught up with her. "Ah…"

Alisa's brow furrowed once she recognized the black-haired boy. 'Looks like that apology won't be coming along naturally…' Morgan thought to herself.

"Hm, it seems you've cooled your head, at least," Laura spoke, looking at Machias.

The green-haired boy sighed. "Yes, I've calmed down now. I apologize for my previous outbursts."

"I'm not sure if we're the ones you should be directing those words to, but apologies accepted." Laura folded her arms. "At any rate, I don't think we've properly introduced ourselves to each other yet, haven't we?"

Rean nodded in agreement. "You're right. We should at least get acquainted with ourselves while we can."

The eight of them each took turns in introducing themselves. Throughout the impromptu meet-and-greet, though, Alisa kept glaring hostilely at Rean, and when it was finally her turn to give her name, she responded to the group with an "It's a pleasure to meet ALMOST all of you." Whatever talk of considering apologizing to the black-haired boy seemed to have left her mind altogether. Once they were all acquainted with one another, Elliot brought up the idea of travelling in a group. However, since there were still two students who remained unaccounted for, they all decided it would be best to remain in their separate, gender-divided groups instead to cover more area. Machias in particular seemed hesitant on letting a group of girls wander around a dungeon alone, but after Laura reminded everyone that she carried a large two-handed sword, the bespectacled boy ate his words.

"So then, shall we be off?" Laura asked the other girls.

"Wait." Morgan put her hand up and directed her gaze towards Alisa. "Alisa, aren't you forgetting something?"

"Huh? What would I be forget-oh." Alisa suddenly remembered their conversation. "Uh, can that thing, er, wait?"

"Come on, we're all here now. Who knows when we'll get another chance?" Morgan kept pushing, eventually looking at Rean. "Wouldn't you agree, Mr. Gentleman?"

Feeling the uneasy stares of everyone being directed towards him, Rean nervously scratched his head. "I suppose now's a better time than ever…" Taking the initiative, he started walking over to Alisa and stopped in front of her. "Alisa."

"Yes?" Alisa asked.

"That trap door was obviously designed so we wouldn't get hurt from the fall," Rean began. "If I hadn't tried to play the hero, none of this would've happened. So with that said…" He bowed a full 90 degrees, surprising everyone. "I'm sorry for what happened!"

Silence hung in the air for a moment before Alisa spoke up. "Wh-why should you be apologizing?" Rean straightened himself, a confused expression on his face. "It was just an unfortunate accident, anyone could have seen that, and yet even after you tried to save me, I ended up losing my head and slapping you! If anything, I should be the one apologizing to you." Alisa then proceeded to bow a full 90 degrees.

Now it was Rean's turn to act surprised. "L-look, let's just call it even and just put this behind us, deal?" He outstretched his hand.

"Deal." Alisa shook it, causing the other students to breathe a sigh of relief. "That aside though," she began, "now that we've established that what happened wasn't your fault, I forbid you from ever thinking about this again. Ever! Forget it ever happened!" She then directed her gaze to the other teens present. "This applies to the rest of you, too! Are. We. Clear?"

"Y-yes, perfectly!" Rean stammered. The rest of the class gave their consent as well, although some of them felt that deliberately trying to avoid thinking about the event only made it harder to forget.

Alisa cleared her throat. "Anyways, I think we've stood around long enough. Let's get moving!" She walked further down the hallway in a huff. Laura and Emma excused themselves and left to follow her.

"Well…" Morgan said, putting her hands on her hips. "I didn't expect the outcome to look like that, but hey! It's the result that counts, right?"

"Hey, Morgan?" Hearing Rean say her name, she turned to face him. "Thanks for that. If you hadn't brought it up, I don't think we would've been able to make up as soon as we did."

"Oh, that? I just wanted to give her a little push is all." Morgan then lowered her voice. "Between all of us, Alisa actually really wanted to apologize this whole time."

Rean raised his eyebrow and gave a small chuckle. "Really? Wouldn't have expected that."

"Are you sure you're going to be all right?" Machias asked. "Maybe one of us could accompany you-"

"I appreciate the chivalry, but we can handle ourselves just fine," Morgan interjected. "We've got four and you've got four; the numbers makes things fair. Besides, I'd be more worried about yourself right now; don't you still have some unresolved business with Duke Albarea's son?"

The thought of Jusis irritated Machias slightly. "I don't think that-"

"Morgan! We're going to be leaving without you!" Alisa's voice rang down the hallway.

"Yeah, I'm coming!" She looked into Machias's eyes. "Look, I'm sure you have a good reason for hating nobles, but if you keep acting like that someone's going to get hurt eventually. Just...try and rein yourself in until we find the instructor again? Because we're going to need all the people we can get if we want to get out of here, and the monsters aren't going to wait to listen to your views on social prejudice." Morgan folded her arms and narrowed her eyes slightly. "You can at least tolerate that much, right? Mr. Son of Imperial Governor Regnitz?"

Machias's eyes widened like a cornered animal's. Rean and Elliot looked to him with shocked expressions. Gaius, meanwhile, merely raised an eyebrow.

"W-wait, you guys didn't know about this?" Morgan asked, starting to panic.

"Well, not at first glance…" Rean said.

"Now that I think about it, I thought the name Regnitz sounded familiar…" Elliot mumbled, sounding ashamed that he didn't recognize the name sooner.

"Shoot...uh, this is a little awkward, isn't it?" Morgan nervously scratched her cheek. "I, er...I gotta go!" And with that, the black-haired girl made her swift exit, leaving Machias to explain about his origins all by himself.

* * *

"Just what is a place like this doing here on campus, anyways?" Alisa wondered aloud as they walked. Little of note occurred since they separated from the male students. The girls would encounter some monsters, beat them down and occasionally cast some orbal arts, and continue on their way.

"I have been wondering about that myself," Laura responded. "While I certainly can't deny that this dungeon provides many benefits for training, the fact that there are monsters so close to the main school buildings is rather concerning."

"Even if this is a military school, I doubt this place would be used often for combat training," Morgan commented. "Soldiers are usually meant to be fighting other humans, not monsters."

Emma, meanwhile, remained silent as they talked.

"Hey, Emma, is there something wrong?" Alisa asked. "You've been silent for a while."

"Oh, it's nothing really," the orbal staff user assured her. "I was just coming up with some possible theories in my head. None of them seem to make sense right now, though. What I'm more concerned about is that we weren't able to find the silver-haired girl anywhere."

"That is true," Laura agreed. "We have been wandering around for quite some time now and yet we haven't found a trace of her."

Morgan recalled the time when she saw the silver-haired girl hanging above the trap door with a grappling hook. "She looked like the small, quick type based on her build," she thought aloud, "and with the dungeon looking the way it is, I wouldn't be surprised if she's just hiding somewhere. Let's see, if I was playing hide-and-seek, where would I look?"

As if on cue, a deadpan voice said, "How about right behind you?"

All four of the girls jumped and looked behind them. Lo and behold, the silver-haired girl decided to show herself.

"Geez! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" Alisa exclaimed.

The silver-haired girl shrugged her shoulders. "Your fault for letting your guard down."

"Well, I certainly can't deny that," Laura admitted.

"Or maybe she's just really that good at sneaking up on people…" Morgan whispered to herself. The fact that the silver-haired girl was able to mask her presence so well was enough to convince Morgan that perhaps they didn't need to be concerned about her well-being.

"At any rate, I'm glad to see that you're alright," Emma said earnestly.

"Of course. Like what she said," the girl pointed at Morgan, "I'm small and quick. These things can't lay a finger on me."

"Just how long have you been following us?" Laura wondered, asking the question that was on all of their minds.

"Only for a bit," was the girl's curt reply. "Oh yeah. Fie Claussell. That's my name."

"Fie? That's a cute name," Emma mused. "It's very nice to meet you. I'm-"

"Emma, right? And the rest of you are Laura, Alisa, and Morgan."

'Did she take a peek at the roster or something?' Morgan thought. 'Then again, from the looks of things, Fie seemed to know the instructor. Maybe she found out from there…'

"By the way, that path leads to a dead end," Fie stated, pointing in their direction. "You're almost to the exit, though. Keep it up." She turned to leave.

"Wait, does that mean you've already been to the exit and then come back?" Morgan asked.

"Maaayyybe." Fie looked back to give the girls a sly smile. "Well, see you at the end." The silver-haired girl broke into a sprint before the others could ask her any more questions.

'Wow, she really is fast. Is she secretly an assassin?' Morgan then turned to the other girls. "Is something wrong, Laura?"

"Hm?" The blue-haired swordswoman had a look of suspicion written on her face. "Oh, it's nothing. I just can't seem to fathom her way of thinking. If she knew the way out, would it not have been better to let others know instead of wandering behind them?"

"That would make things more efficient for a team, yeah," Alisa commented. "But there are people who work better individually than they do in a group. Maybe she's one of them?"

"I suppose I hadn't thought about that," Laura said. "It seems I'm still a bit narrow in my point of view; now that simply won't do. I came to this academy to broaden my horizons, not lock myself away in my own perspective. Perhaps the next couple of weeks will ease things up between us."

"Well, first we'll have to get out of here, but that's a good way to look at things," Morgan complimented. "So, do we head back? She did say that this way leads to a dead end."

"We might as well," Emma concurred. "Fie must have gone through this place earlier if she was able to tell us that, and I think I'll trust her opinion." Laura and Alisa didn't give any objections, and so the group of female students started walking the other direction.

After some more walking and talking, a loud roar echoed through the hallways of the dungeon.

"Wh-what was that?!" Alisa asked in a frightened tone.

"That sounded like a very dangerous monster," Emma replied, her voice shaking.

"It came from...that way!" Laura pointed up a flight of stairs and drew her sword.

"Wait, you're going to go _towards_ it?!" Alisa questioned.

"Some of our classmates could be facing it right now!" the swordswoman answered. "We must help them right this instant!" Immediately, she broke off into a run.

The three remaining girls looked at each other.

"Heh, we haven't even sat in a classroom together and we're already looking out for each other," Morgan quipped. Moments later, a smile crept on her face. "But you know what? That's what I like to see!" She drew her weapon. "You two coming or what?"

Emma took a moment to breathe and brought out her staff. "I'm ready. I'll support you as best as I can."

Alisa took out her bow. "We've already made it this far; might as well go all the way."

Morgan grinned before noticing someone else running towards them. "You wanna join us, too?"

Emma and Alisa turned to see the newly-arrived student. "Might as well," said Fie. She took out weapons that Morgan never saw before: a pair of small guns with blades attached to them. "Besides, I told you I'd see you at the end, right?"

"Hey, you know what they say: the more the merrier!" Morgan led the way up the stairs. Upon reaching the end after running through a corridor, they found Laura locked in combat with what appeared to be a four-legged dragon with blue scales and golden wings alongside Rean, Elliot, Gaius, Machias, and Jusis. 'They must have picked up Jusis along the way,' Morgan figured.

"Morgan," Fie said, grabbing her attention. "Cover me with an art."

"On it." She then turned to Alisa and Emma. "Alisa, hang back and fire arrows. Emma, help me with arts."

"You got it!" "Of course!"

Alisa let loose a volley of energy shots, each of them hitting the dragon. After getting the monster's attention, Morgan followed up with an art, shooting it with a mass of water. Emma finished casting her art and unleashed a luminous ray to barrage the monster further.

Rean turned to look at the attackers as they rushed in to join the fray. "Hey! You made it!"

"Sorry we're a bit late," Morgan apologized, "but we're all here now, and that's what counts, right?"

"So, any ideas on how to beat this thing?" Machias called from across her. "We've been giving it everything we had, but as you can see, it's rallying at an alarming rate."

"But with this many of us," Rean said, "if we can just find an opening…"

"An opening, eh?" Morgan asked, grinning. "I think I've got one idea." She called out to the girl waiting at the bottom of the staircase leading to the exit, "Fie, you ready?"

"In position." Before anyone could think, a volley of bullets fired from behind the dragon, catching it off guard. It tried to turn around and retaliate, but Fie was already in motion, jumping above the monster and landing near its back legs. "Too slow." She stabbed its right hind leg and pulled the trigger, causing the monster to reel in pain and crumple. "There's your opening!" she called to the rest of the class.

"Thanks!" Morgan said. She outstretched her hand and let out a rallying cry. "Let's go, everyone! Give it everything you've got!"

All the students yelled in collective agreement. A faint blue light started glowing from each of them as they all moved in to attack. Emma and Elliot alternated between releasing orbs from their orbal staves and casting arts. Machias let loose a large round from his shotgun and blew a chunk of scales away as Gaius moved in to stab the monster with his spear. Alisa kept shooting arrows while Fie joined her in firing her bullets, occasionally dashing in quickly to get a good slice in before moving back out. Meanwhile, Jusis, Rean, Laura, and Morgan were slashing and hacking away at the monster with their bladed weapons. The beast could do nothing but roar in pain as it received attack after attack. Eventually, Rean put his sword in his sheath and closed his eyes. After a moment of concentration, he opened his eyes and quickly unsheathed his sword, delivering a critical blow. Not a moment later, he yelled "Laura!" All the students halted their attacks and stepped backwards as the blue-haired swordswoman moved in for the finishing blow. With a great swing, she decapitated the dragon and landed gracefully onto the ground.

The dragon's head fell to the ground and hardened to stone before disappearing in a purple glow. Moments later, the body vanished the same way. 'So it wasn't a dragon, but a gargoyle?' Morgan thought. She pushed the thought from her mind, however, as she joined the other students who were exchanging high-fives in celebration.

After the joy from defeating the monster together subsided, the students began to wonder about the blue light that appeared at the end of the battle. Moments later, Instructor Sara made her appearance and, as promised, answered any questions the students had. She explained about how the ARCUS units could perform what was called a combat link with other devices, allowing their holders to act in perfect sync with each other, and how the ten of them were chosen based on their aptitude for the device. The act of combat linking reminded Morgan of a strategy her father mentioned a long time ago that involved pairing up units to boost morale and better the chances of surviving in battle.

"I think that pretty much explains the hows and whys of your situation," Instructor Sara said after all the students' questions were exhausted. "But this program isn't cheap to run, so we're not about to force anyone into it if they don't want to be here. If you do decide opt out, you'll just be placed in the class you would've been assigned otherwise. But to those of you who want to stay, I should warn you that Class VII's curriculum will be tougher than any other class' coursework, both physically and mentally. With all that out of the way, that leaves you all with an important decision to make…" She paused for a moment before finishing her statement. "Will you stick with Class VII, or not?"

The students all looked at each other in silence as if waiting for someone to make the first move.

Morgan closed her eyes and thought of the words someone said to her many months ago…

* * *

" _I wish to create a new faction, a light that can break through the storm clouds that continue build over our nation day by day. This faction will aim to do as my group of comrades and I did and unite people from all backgrounds, regardless of status, ability, or even country, to push back the impending darkness. But in order to do that, I must first change the foundations of the world from the inside. In cultivating new minds who can think and act independently to face tomorrow's challenges head-on, they will become the ones who can push this philosophy into the future and turn a divided nation into a united one."_

 _He stretched out his hand. "So what do you say? Will you not lend your aid and join me in this idealistic quest of mine?"_

* * *

'I see now...so this was your plan all along?' Morgan thought, still remembering the earnest yet determined look in his eyes. 'Alright, I'll play along with you and your ideals. I owe you guys a lot, after all.' She moved forward. "I'm in. Whatever this class has to offer, I'm ready."

The female instructor gave an approving nod. "First to leave the assembly, first to enter the schoolhouse, and now first to join the class. Any reason why you're such a go-getter?"

"Not in particular…" Morgan replied. "But I've already went through the trouble of going through this orienteering exercise. If the rest of the year is like this, it shouldn't be that bad."

"It's only going to get harder from here on out," Sara warned again.

"'A good tactician knows when to back out of a fight they can't win,'" Morgan stated confidently. "As far as I can see, though, this doesn't look unwinnable, so I won't back out."

"I like that confidence," complimented the instructor. "So, do we have any other takers?"

Slowly but surely, the rest of the students started to join. First was Rean, followed by Laura, Gaius, Emma, Elliot, Alisa, Fie, and, last but not least, Jusis and Machias.

Sara applauded at the result. "Well how about that! A perfect ten out of ten! With that, I'd like to congratulate all of you on being the first ever Class VII!"

Sara said some more closing words afterwards, but Morgan was distracted by something that caught her eye. At the top of the staircase leading to the exit stood two people: Principal Vandyck and a middle-aged man with blond hair wearing regal red clothes. The latter of the two locked eyes with Morgan and winked. She responded with a smile and a small nod.

And thus, Class VII was born.

* * *

 **Author's note: Hello all. Hope you enjoyed reading. If you didn't, well, eh. I tried.  
** **I updated the summary regarding this, but I will be inserting some changes here and there to the narrative. Such things are inevitable in fanfics, but the presence of an additional member right off the bat makes it almost necessary that some things be switched around. The scale of these changes will range from minor to medium-sized, but nothing plot-changing. In other words, though there will be changes, the story will still mainly follow the path of the original game. The main story of _Cold Steel_ will still focus around Rean; Morgan's sort of there to provide some what-if scenarios and shake things up with her overall presence. Think of her as the tactician to Rean's lord...**

 **Anyways, here's one last segment to end this chapter. Again, thanks for your time, have a good day and all that.**

* * *

The students of the newly formed class were given a brief tour of the main buildings in the campus and the various shops in Trista as they made their way to their dormitory past the train station. Upon arrival, Sara assigned each of them to a room number, boys on the second floor and girls on the third, before retreating into her own room on the first floor.

Morgan walked up the stairs with the rest of the girls to the third floor, where they split off to find their rooms. The floor was divided into two parts by a lounge area with doors on each side opening to the hallway. Morgan found her room to the right side of the staircase with the numbers "302" posted above the doorway. Across from her was a single door that led to the floor bathroom while the room next to her, marked with the numbers "301", appeared unused and empty at the moment. It lead her to wonder why Instructor Sara didn't join them in settling down upstairs.

Opening the door to her room, Morgan immediately noticed that the packages she sent to the school that contained her belongings, as well as, to her surprise and relief, the lute case she left at the old schoolhouse, were all placed in the middle of a large checkered carpet that spanned nearly the full length of the floor. Along the far side of the room were two windows that opened to a small balcony outside and a display for her weapon. A desk, bookshelf, and chair were on the left side of the room while a bed, nightstand, drawer cabinet, and closet were on the right side. On the side closest to the door was also a vanity with a sink and mirror.

Morgan immediately began going to work and started opening the packages and sorting her belongings. One medium-sized package contained some extra clothes, so she put them in the drawer and closet. Another contained school supplies like paper and writing utensils, so she put those on the desk. A large, heavy package contained the textbooks she ordered for her courses, so Morgan had to take each one out individually to put onto the bookshelf. A small, light package contained her toiletries, which she put in one of the vanity cabinets.

There were two packages left, each with the words "FRAGILE" labelled on them. She first opened the larger of the two, which contained miscellaneous items like a desk lamp, an alarm clock, and an orbal radio she received in Heimdallr. She placed them in various locations before turning her attention to the smaller package. Gingerly removing the wrappings, she opened the box and peered inside. To her relief, both of the objects she placed in it seemed untouched. Truth be told, there was little need for her to put the "FRAGILE" label on this particular parcel, given the nature of its contents, but she couldn't help but feel a little bit paranoid at the time.

The first object was a combat orbment. Opening the cover revealed a collection of quartzes of different colors all placed in a circle surrounding a large green quartz in its center. Given the small area of her room, Morgan figured it would be best to save checking if the orbment still functioned for another day.

The second object was a book with no title on its cover. It showed evidence of being used before, as there were some note marks sticking out of it in random places along with spaces where the pages were folded into dog ears, but it was still in very good condition. Morgan opened the book to the first page and inspected the words written in familiar cursive:

 _Property of: Robin, Grandmaster of Ylisse_

"I wonder…" she murmured to herself as she stroked her hand over the written letters. "If you saw me now, would you be proud of where I am? Sometimes, I think it was because of the devil's luck that I was able to survive for this long. I've worked hard to get better and repay all the people who've helped me get this far, but a part of me keeps feeling that I haven't done enough. Is this what you and Mother felt like back then?"

She set the book on her nightstand and began to take off her uniform, starting with her blazer and then her dress shirt. Before she unzipped her skirt, she walked over to the mirror and turned around so she could see the mark that was permanently tattooed onto the small of her back: a curved U-shape with a tear in the middle.

"Father...Mother...I hope I can do this."

* * *

 **Hmm...I wonder who Morgan's mother may be?**


	3. April 17th - Evening

**CHAPTER 1 - DAWN**

In the days following their exciting orienteering exercise, Class VII was shown the ropes around daily life at the academy. They were introduced to each of the academy's faculty and given the rundown of the basic materials of their respective courses. It was to be expected given the nature and prestige of the academy, but when Instructor Sara said that Class VII's curriculum would be tougher than those of the other classes, she wasn't kidding. On the academic side, each of the courses was filled with arduous material and coursework, with the teachers frequently calling on students in class for answers and giving out pop quizzes to make sure they were keeping up with the material. On the physical side of things, the students were subject to frequent combat training by none other than their own homeroom teacher, and though she was easy-going around 85% of the time, when it came to combat Instructor Sara didn't kid around. Even when she was teaching them how to make a simple combat link, she didn't go easy on, as she called them, "her favorite little munchkins".

All in all, though, the students were getting used to life at the academy.

There were, however, just two problems.

The first was in regards to the situation of food. The students themselves were responsible for providing for themselves, whether it be cooking their own food, eating at the school cafeteria, or ordering to-go from the local cafe. However, because they were constantly kept busy by coursework and the fact that some of them had little experience in cooking (Morgan herself was one of these people, although it was less that she didn't know how to cook and more that everything she touched would always turn into a weird, inedible mess), they all opted for the latter two options most of the time. Of course, eating out meant spending money, so to save themselves from possible financial crisis, Class VII resolved the matter by having two designated chefs rotate every week to decide the meal plans, with the additional requirement that they had to cook for everyone at least once during their shift. Overall, it wasn't a major issue, but it could become one in the long run unless someone like Jusis or Laura hired a maid to provide for them full-time, and considering how far both of them lived from the academy, they weren't comfortable with asking favors from their families for something that could easily be worked around.

Speaking of Jusis, the second problem was that the feud between him and Machias that started during the orienteering exercise didn't seem to lessen; if anything, the tension between them only grew with each passing day. From what Morgan heard from Rean, the two were able to call a ceasefire in the old schoolhouse using the points she made about cooperating to survive mattering more than fighting amongst each other. Unfortunately, that truce ended once the both of them didn't have to fight for their lives against monsters and things went back to the way they were. It didn't help that Machias's stubbornness got in the way from him thinking rationally at times and that Jusis seemed to enjoy provoking the bespectacled boy at every opportunity. In contrast to the little debacle between Rean and Alisa, there were no misunderstandings or unfortunate accidents; just two individuals locked in a contest of pride that neither wanted to back down from.

Morgan sighed upon thinking about this.

"Why the big sigh, Morgan?" Alisa asked.

"Oh, it's nothing," she lied. "Just thinking about which things I need to brush up on...which is a lot of things." That part wasn't a lie. Normally, Morgan was always enthusiastic to learn and read about new things. However, when she was pushed or forced to learn something as part of a graded curriculum, her enthusiasm and motivation would dwindle a bit. Of course, the subject had a lot to do with this as well. Military science, for instance, was always her favorite subject and she enjoyed learning about orbal science to become more familiar with orbal technology. However, subjects like art and biology, essentially things she would only dabble into out of curiosity or had no prior experience whatsoever, were harder to get into. All in all, Morgan found herself as more of a fan of the "practical" subjects rather than most "traditional" ones.

"Well, we have the entire day off tomorrow, so you have plenty of time," said Emma. "Just make sure to pace yourself, okay?"

"Yeah, I know." At the moment, Morgan was talking with Alisa, Laura, and Emma outside their classroom. Classes had just finished for the day and the four of them were talking about their plans for tomorrow. According to Instructor Sara, there were no classes tomorrow, which meant that the students were free to do whatever they wished on their "free day". "I still haven't picked a club to join yet," Morgan said. "I should probably fix that soon. What about you three? Found any clubs yet?"

"I've decided to try out for the Swimming Club tomorrow," replied Laura.

"Swimming?" Emma asked. "That's an interesting choice."

"I used to swim back home," the swordswoman explained. "Legram has a lake that my father and I would often use. It makes for some good endurance training if I do say so myself, especially during the winter."

"I'm pretty sure only you would think diving into a lake when it's cold would make for good endurance training," quipped Alisa, "but it IS important to stay physically fit, considering we're in a military academy. I've been thinking about trying out for an athletics team myself. You want to join me, Emma?"

"Oh no, I wouldn't be any good at that," said the class president, shaking her head. A week prior, Emma was elected amongst the class to be their president while Machias was nominated as their vice president, which gave them additional duties outside of their classes. "Personally, I'm more into reading books than physical activities. I hope there's a literature club somewhere…"

"Given the scope of the school, I'd say there has to be at least one," Morgan guessed. "If you can't find any in the main building, you can always check out the Student Union."

"That's a good idea," Emma said. "In fact, I think I'll head over there right now!"

"I'll come with you," Alisa offered. "This'll be a good opportunity to see what other clubs the school has to offer."

"I should go to the gymnasium to see when are the swimming club tryouts," decided Laura. "I'll see you all later, then."

The four girls all said good-bye to each other and went their separate ways. Or rather, Alisa, Emma, and Laura went their separate ways while Morgan stayed behind. Since they travelled together in the old schoolhouse, the four girls had formed a little group of sorts and would often spend time with each other once classes ended. While Morgan was grateful that she had made some new friends, a part of her wanted to try branching out and interacting with the other students of Class VII, though she had trouble finding the right situation to try and do so. It didn't help matters that some people, like Jusis and Fie, constantly kept their other classmates at arm's length.

Her mind flashed back to what Instructor Sara said a couple days ago when they were being taught on how to make combat links…

* * *

" _There's no one right way to form a combat link," Sara told the class. "In fact, it's theoretically possible for anyone with an available ARCUS to form one. However, the probability of forming and maintaining a link is dependent on a lot of things, the biggest influence being your feelings towards one another. Putting it simply, the more you learn to trust each other, the easier it will be to form a combat link. Conversely, the more you hate someone else's guts, the less likely a combat link will form, much less be maintained." She made an aside glance towards Machias and Jusis before continuing. "And how, you may ask, does one learn to trust one another?" she asked her students before shrugging her shoulders. "Well, how should I know? I'm a combat teacher, not a psychologist! That's for you all to figure out for yourselves!"_

 _A bead of uneasy sweat dropped collectively from the students' heads at that moment._

* * *

'All joking aside, she does have a point,' Morgan thought. 'Sooner or later, we may be put into a position where we have to rely on people we aren't comfortable working with. If we want to make the most of our combat links, we'll have to learn how to support each other, and the best way to do that is spending time with each other outside of combat and classes.' She stopped for a moment. "Why is it that everything I think about always comes back to combat?" she asked herself. "I swear, old habits die hard…"

As she said this, she saw Rean step out of the classroom. Taking this as an opportunity, she walked over to him and greeted him. "Hey, Rean. What's up?"

"Hey, Morgan," the black-haired teen replied. "Nothing much. Just going to the Student Union to run an errand for Instructor Sara."

"She asked you to run an errand?" Morgan queried. "And she doesn't want to do it herself because…?"

Rean shrugged his shoulders. "Don't know, but from the looks of it, it has to do with our class. Something about picking something up and leaving everything in my capable hands? She didn't tell me what, though."

'It's totally a trap,' Morgan thought. "Mind if I come with? I was in the mood for some cafeteria food."

Rean smiled. "Be my guest."

* * *

"So, have you picked a club to join, by any chance?"

"No, not yet. I haven't found any that clicked with me."

"It looks like we're both in the same boat then," Rean chuckled. "Elliot said he wants to try out for the band tomorrow and Gaius is thinking about checking out the art club."

"Gaius does art?" Morgan asked, a bit surprised.

"Yeah, Elliot and I were surprised, too. Apparently he did a little bit back where he came from. You know, if you can't find anything you want to do, you could always try and find an activity that you're not good at and try to improve that way."

"A good idea, but not one that some clubs might be okay with," Morgan countered. "I'm not sure if the Cooking Club's ready for me to turn everything I touch into an inedible mess."

"Is your cooking really that bad?" Rean questioned. "Or do you just not taste your food when you're cooking? I find that that's the first mistake most people make."

"I've had royal maids walk me through a recipe and it still ended up tasting weird," she stated. "Sometimes I think I may be cursed in the culinary arts."

Rean chuckled. "I guess we'll just have to wait and see for ourselves when it's your shift in a couple of weeks. Oh, here we are."

Their conversation was brought to an end as they stopped in front of the Student Union building. "So where are you going again?" Morgan asked.

"The Student Council room," Rean replied. "Now where did the instructor say it was located again?"

"Hey there, first years." A carefree voice interrupted Rean's train of thought. Turning to the left, the first years in question saw a boy walking towards them. He was a bit taller than them, had silver hair, wore a bandanna on his head, and was carrying a bag over his shoulder. He was also wearing the green Thors uniform, indicating he was a commoner from either Class III, IV, or V. "How's it going? Academy life been treating you well this past half-month?"

"Well, when I'm not getting swamped by coursework, yes," Morgan answered.

"Same," Rean said. "It's not easy, but I'm managing, though I have a feeling it's only going to get harder from here on out."

"Oh, don't worry; of course it will." The second-year gave a small chuckle. "Your class is going to be more intense than the others, too, but you two just hang in there, okay?"

'How does he know that?' Morgan wondered.

"You're a second-year student, aren't you?" Rean asked. "Do you mind if I ask your name?"

"Hey now, let's not get ahead of ourselves," the bandanaed second-year replied, dodging the question. "First things first: how about you let me show you this cool trick I've been practicing?"

"Trick…?" Rean said, intrigued.

"Yup." A sly grin grew on the second-year's face. "You got a mira coin I can borrow? Anything is fine."

"I think I do. Give me one moment…" Rean immediately started checking his pockets.

'Wait, he's just going to give him money like that?' Morgan thought. 'It's clearly going to get him robbed.' Meanwhile, Rean brought out a 50 mira coin and handed it over to the bandanaed boy, who gleefully took it. Morgan sighed. 'Might as well see how things play out.'

The second-year put his drawstring bag on the ground in front of him, its top opened. "All right, watch closely." The bandanaed boy flipped the coin into the air. When it came down, he quickly moved both of his hands in front of it to catch it. "Now!" He put both of his closed hands in front of him. "Which hand is the coin in? Left or right?"

"Hmm…" Rean thought for a moment. "It's in your…left hand."

The silver-haired teen turned to Morgan. "And you, young miss? Care to give a guess?"

"I think I'll pass," she responded.

The older teen nodded and turned back to Rean. "Well, too bad for you, first year!" Smirking, he opened his left hand, revealing nothing but an empty palm.

"Guess you win," Rean relented. "Though, wait. You said this was a trick, which means…"

"You catch on quick." The boy nodded approvingly and opened his other hand, showing that it was also empty. "Well, keep up the good work, man," he said to a confused Rean. "You're gonna need to be pretty tough to get through a year with Sara as your instructor."

'So he does know her after all,' Morgan deduced.

The bandanaed teen grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder. "Oh, by the way. The Student Council room is on the second floor. Furthest room back. Well, see you two around. Have a good weekend, and all that." As he left, he winked at Morgan in a way that totally didn't seem like he was trying to hit on her.

Rean suddenly realized something after he was gone. "Wait! My 50 mira!" he exclaimed.

Morgan couldn't help but burst out laughing at the male teen's shocked expression, the realization that he just got robbed written clearly over his face.

"Got to admit, he got me good," Rean sighed. "I'm usually good at following moving objects too…"

"Not to mention, he seemed to know about our class," she pointed out once she stopped laughing. "Like how we have a tougher curriculum and how you were heading to the Student Council room."

"That's true. You think he knows Instructor Sara?"

"That's what I figured, too," she nodded. "By the way, the coin was in his bag."

Rean stared at her blankly. "What?"

"The drawstring bag by his feet. He missed the coin on purpose and let it fall into the bag."

After a few moments to process the information, Rean groaned and proceeded to give himself a facepalm as Morgan started to giggle again. "Why didn't you say anything?!"

Morgan put her hands behind her head. "Hey, it's not my fault you're so gullible."

Rean grumbled, giving what could best be described as a cross between a fierce mien and an angry pout. "You can be a bit mean, you know that?"

She sneered playfully at him. "Unlike a certain gentleman, I'm not an ordinary, well-mannered lady. Come on, let's go in."

* * *

Once they entered the building, Rean left to go to the Student Council room on the second floor. Morgan, meanwhile, went to order something at the cafeteria.

"Hello, there!" the lady at the cafeteria greeted her. "What can I get for you today?"

"One meat-and-tomato sandwich and one whole juice, please," Morgan responded.

"Alright…" the lady took a moment to write down her order. "That'll be 800 mira."

Morgan gave her the designated amount and began to wait. A couple minutes later, she picked up her order and sat down at an open table. She immediately began munching away at her sandwich.

'For something so simple and cheap, they still manage to make it taste good!' Morgan remarked in her head. As she slurped her juice, her mind wandered to the silver-haired teen she and Rean encountered earlier. His laid-back personality aside, she couldn't help but notice that whoever he was, he possessed an incredible dexterity. If Rean was as good at following moving objects as he said he was, then the bandanaed boy must have been very skilled if he was able to fool him. In truth, the only reason Morgan was able to deduce that the coin was in his bag was because she looked at the picture from an outside perspective; if she were to make a guess in the heat of the moment, she probably would have guessed wrong as well. 'He's quite the trickster,' she thought. 'I suppose that goes to show that even the easygoing ones should never be underestimated.'

Her line of thought was interrupted when she heard a voice call her name. She looked up to see her classmate walking over to her carrying a stack of notebooks. "Hey, Rean!" Her eyes then wandered to the petite brown-haired girl who was walking next to him. "Oh! And Towa!"

Towa giggled. "Hello, Morgan! It's been a while, hasn't it?"

Rean looked between the two of them. "Wait, do you two know each other?"

"Only from the first day of school," Morgan explained. "I asked for her name and everything."

"I remember because she was the first one to check in by a long shot," Towa commented. "And in contrast, Rean was the last of Class VII to check in! What are the odds?" She looked up at Rean. "Anyways, I'll go grab something for you. Wait here, okay?"

"You don't have to treat me, you know?" Rean said, putting the stack of books onto the table.

"Think of it as my way of thanking you for agreeing to help the Student Council," the petite girl replied, not wanting to take no for an answer.

"Ooh, can I have something, too?" Morgan literally jumped at the opportunity. "I want another meat sandwich!"

"Sure thing!" Towa rushed to get in line for the cafeteria. Morgan couldn't help but let out a small "Yes!" as she left.

Both members of Class VII sat down. "So she's part of the Student Council?" Morgan asked Rean.

"Not just any part," he said. "She's the Student Council president."

"Seriously?" Morgan started eating the rest of her sandwich. "First she's in her second year, now she's the biggest student authority? That's impressive for someone of her...well, you know."

"Yeah, it is." He nodded his head in agreement.

Morgan finished her food and washed it down with the rest of her juice. "So, what's this I hear about helping out the Student Council? Has our instructor been signing things up for you behind your back?"

Rean was surprised. "How did you know it was Instructor Sara?"

"Because it totally sounds like something she'd do." she fired back.

Rean paused for a moment before nodding his head in agreement. "Fair point."

"So? What's the story?" Morgan pointed her index finger at him. "I want to hear every juicy detail."

"Actually, I think it's best if President Towa explained it herself," he said. "Speaking of which, here she comes." On cue, Towa arrived at their table with sandwiches, drinks, and even some chips for all of them to share. As they ate, the petite president explained the gist of Rean's situation. With the Student Council being as busy as it was, Instructor Sara approached Towa some time in the past week and offered the assistance of Class VII to help ease their workload under the pretense of "wanting to better themselves" and "proving that they were worthy of being part of a prestigious new class". Thus, Rean was ringed in to help them during the free day tomorrow by fulfilling some requests from people in the academy and in Trista, and with Rean being the gentleman that he is, he couldn't find it in himself to turn down the president's pleas for help.

Okay, that last part Morgan made up, but she couldn't help but picture that was the case.

After they finished eating, Rean and Morgan thanked Towa for paying as she went back upstairs to the Student Council room. The two students of Class VII then exited the building.

"It's dusk already?" Rean noticed. "Not only that, but she still has more Student Council work to do? Just how busy is she?"

"Probably very busy," Morgan responded. "I'll bet that if anything student-related in this school is running smoothly, it's because of her." She then pointed to the stack of books Rean was holding. "By the way, what's with those books?"

"Oh, right! I forgot about these." He moved away from the Student Union building so he wouldn't get in anybody's way and set the stack of books down on the ground, with Morgan following close behind. He opened up one of the of the books and nodded. "Yup, this one's yours."

Morgan took the book from his hands and looked inside. "Oh! The student handbooks! I completely forgot we had these!"

The black-haired male nodded. "Apparently, these ones took more time to write since we're using the new ARCUS orbments." Before he could say anything else, his ARCUS started ringing. "And speaking of these orbments, I think I know who this call is coming from…" He brought out his device and flipped the cover open. "Hello? This is Rean Schwarzer speaking."

" _Guten Tag, my favorite little Wunderkind!"_ said Instructor Sara's voice. _"I hear you had a nice little dinner date with the perky Morgan AND the Student Council president! Ooh la la!"_

"Hey, she was paying!" Morgan shouted back when she heard her name.

Rean let out a sigh of exasperation. "If this is how you treat your 'favorite little Wunderkind', I dread to think how you'd treat people you don't like," he said. "Would you care to explain why you've been signing me up for things behind my back?"

" _I'll skip the details for now, but it's got_ something _to do with the other part of your curriculum that I'll be announcing next week._ " That got Rean and Morgan's attention. " _I thought it'd be a good chance for one of you to do a little rehearsal before the main event. And since the Student Council truly is busy, I figured, why not kill two birds with one stone?_ " The instructor gave a huff as if she was pushing her chest forward with pride on the other side of the line. " _A fine plan, if I do say so myself._ "

"I have a feeling half the reason they're as busy as they are is because of certain instructors…" Rean retorted with a deadpan expression on his face. "But all right. I'm happy to play along. Basically, you just want me to spend my free day tomorrow helping the Student Council, right?"

At this point, Morgan thought it would be best if she didn't listen in on their conversation any further. She motioned to Rean that she would take the notebooks and wait by one of the nearby benches at the front entrance. After Rean nodded his head. Morgan picked up the his stack of books and walked to find a bench to sit on. As she left, she heard Rean ask their female instructor a question. "...Why me, exactly?"

* * *

"So what'd she say?" Morgan asked as she and Rean were walking back to the dormitory. At her insistence, she was also currently holding half of the student notebooks. "If you're willing to say, that is."

"She just gave an explanation as to why she wanted me to be the Student Council's gofer," Rean said. "I don't mind this time, though, seeing as I haven't found a club to join yet. She gave me some sound advice too...or at least it would've been sound if she wasn't drinking beer at the same time."

Morgan stopped to look at Rean weirdly for a moment. "She's drinking beer right now?"

Rean nodded. "And she was about to get plastered from the sounds of it. I guess that's one reason why she acts so carefree all the time."

"I thought it was against school regulations to bring alcohol into a lodging filled with underage students."

"Well, given how she has the entire first floor to herself, I'm sure she has lots of ways to hide her stash." The two laughed at that and continued walking.

"So just so we're clear…" Morgan said after walking a couple more steps. "You sure you don't want me to help you as your fellow undecided classmate?"

"I'm sure," Rean assured her. "I want to see how things play out first. Plus, I wouldn't want to distract you from any plans you may have tomorrow."

"Plans? What are those?" she asked innocently, prompting Rean to chuckle. "No, I don't have anything in particular planned, so if you're ever in need of some help, don't hesitate to call me, okay?"

The black-haired boy nodded. "I'll keep that in mind, thanks."

An idea popped into the girl's head at that moment. "Actually, why don't I help you out right now?"

Rean looked confused as Morgan motioned for him to follow her into the park. Immediately, she began opening the student notebooks in her pile. "I'll take the girls' notebooks with me to the third floor and deliver them myself. It'll save you the hassle of going up there yourself."

Rean's eyes widened. "Wait, you sure? I wouldn't want you to do more work for me than you already have."

"Oh, this is nothing," she assured him. "Besides, what if you were to go up there and find someone coming out from the bathroom? You'd be labeled as a pervert before you'd get a chance to explain!"

The black-haired boy's face turned red. "You just had to place that mental image into my head, didn't you?"

The axe wielder gave a snicker. "Quit your complaining and give me those books."

Rean relented and put the stack of books next to hers. They each looked through their stack of notebooks and placed them in a stack based on their gender. Eventually, they got down to the last book on Rean's end, but for some reason he was hesitant in opening it.

"What's wrong?" Morgan queried. "We don't know whose book it is if we don't open it."

"It's not that I don't know whose it is," Rean clarified. "it's the fact that I know whose notebook it belongs to that I don't want to open it."

"Let's see here…" Morgan took a moment to look at the two stacks of books. "All of the guys are accounted for in this stack here, and I know for a fact that Laura and Fie's notebooks are here, so that only leaves Emma and…" Her eyes widened at the realization. "Alisa."

Rean nodded. "The girl of the mysterious letter "R". I don't know why she wants to keep her last name a secret, but I don't want to intrude on her privacy. Honestly, I'm surprised that she was the last one in my pile."

"You say that, but I bet you really want to know about her true identity, don't you?" Morgan teased as he put Alisa's notebook on the top of the girl's pile.

Rean hesitated for a moment. "Okay, yeah, I do," he admitted.

"Right?" the girl said with a mischievous grin on her face. Suddenly, she grabbed Alisa's notebook.

"H-hey!" Rean tried to reach for the book. "You can't do that!"

"You will not stop me!" the girl proclaimed. The two chased each other around in the park for a bit with Alisa's notebook in tow until eventually Morgan did a somersault through the air and landed perfectly on her rump next to the two stacks of notebooks, giving her just enough time to pry open the notebook and read its contents. Immediately, her face went from playful to surprised as she read the name written on the first page. Rean, in an attempt to grab the book from Morgan's hands, was leaning over her shoulder and thus couldn't stop himself from reading the name.

The name of the owner of the student handbook was printed as follows: _Alisa Reinford._

* * *

"Just so we're clear, this is a secret between the two of us, agreed?" Rean whispered.

"Agreed," Morgan complied. "Both this conversation and what occurred at the park never happened." With that, the two accomplices shook their hands while holding onto their stack of notebooks and went upstairs.

To make things as smooth as possible on her end, Morgan visited the other three girls' rooms in alphabetical order so Alisa's notebook would be the last one delivered. She first knocked on Laura's door, though it took multiple times as the swordswoman was in the middle of some self-practice. After apologizing for interrupting her during her moment of focus, Morgan went over to Fie's room diagonally across from Laura's. Fie showed up after one knock and received her notebook, her face as stoic as ever. Next, she went to the room over and called for Emma to answer the door and pick up her notebook. The two struck up some conversation afterwards, with the class president revealing that she did find a literature club at the Student Union building and would go to check it out tomorrow, to which Morgan congratulated her. Finally, she found herself in front of Alisa's room. After taking a moment to compose herself, Morgan knocked on her door.

"Yes? Is that you, Morgan?" Alisa's voice called through the door.

"Correct! I come bearing gifts from afar!" she responded.

"Give me one sec, okay?" After a rustling sound, Alisa opened the door. "So? What's up?"

Morgan handed Alisa her notebook. "We just got our student notebooks. Here's yours. You may want to check the inside though."

Alisa took the book from Morgan's hands and opened the cover. "Yup, this one's definitely mine." She then looked up at the black-haired girl. "You didn't...look into it, did you?"

"No," she answered bluntly. "And if you're asking how I figured out that was yours, it's because I when I got them, I was told the books were sorted in alphabetical order by last name. I remembered your last name was an "R", so I saved it for last."

"Oh, that explains it." Alisa breathed a sigh of relief.

"But just asking out of curiosity," Morgan continued, "is there a reason why you want to keep your last name a secret? Is your family notorious or something?"

"Well, I wouldn't say that…" Alisa began twirling her finger through her hair. "Actually, scratch that; they've definitely done some notorious things. Most of that is subjective, though, and since the school is so divided between commoners and nobles, I'd rather not get myself into unnecessary trouble."

'So that's it,' Morgan thought. 'It makes sense, though, given how the Reinfords are basically commoners with more wealth than some of the nobility. She probably wouldn't fit well into any social class.'

"Um...you're not going to ask further?" the blond asked. "About my family name?"

"Well…" Morgan scratched the back of her head. "If I'm being completely honest, I may have some ideas in my head," she answered vaguely. "In fact, the things you just said in addition to your origins and affinity for orbal technology all seem to point towards you having connections with a...certain famous group from Roer, but hey, I could be wrong." She shrugged her shoulders. "Either way, that's doesn't change the fact that you're you. A name didn't stop us from talking to Jusis or Laura; I'm sure Class VII won't make an exception for you."

Alisa eased up a bit. "Thanks, Morgan. That's nice of you to say. But just so you know, if you tell anyone else about this, I swear…"

"Oh?" Morgan raised an eyebrow. "So you admit that I'm on the right track, then?" She knew she was supposed to keep her knowledge a secret, but Morgan couldn't help but pounce at the opportunity to indulge in some light teasing.

Alisa, meanwhile, realized what she had just said and put her hand over her mouth. Apparently trying to deliberately keep a secret wasn't such a strong suit of hers after all. "Y-you heard no such thing!"

Morgan raised both of her hands. "My lips are sealed," she assured the fuming blond. "And if someone else does find out about your little secret, it won't be from me." Morgan wondered whether that was technically a lie or not, but she perished the thought for the time being. She gave a playful wink and stuck out her tongue before making a mad dash to her room to turn in for the night.

It wasn't the way she expected things to go, but Morgan could feel herself growing closer with two of her classmates, and that, if anything, was a start.

* * *

 **Author's note: To those of you who have played _Trails of_ _Cold Steel_ before, you may have noticed one of the changes I have made to the narrative thus far, that change being the fact that Alisa's identity has been revealed early! Originally, it didn't take until Chapter 3. Well, it's only to Morgan and Rean, so it won't make too much of a difference right now, but you'd be surprised at how differently you see the game if you go through it a second time with all the reveals in mind.  
Anyways, congratulations on making it to the end. If you enjoyed what you read, that's good to hear! If you didn't...eh, at least I tried. Fortunately, we're still in the beginning phases so there are plenty more opportunities to improve myself.**


	4. April 18th - Morning to Afternoon

" _I'd draw your soldiers out to this line here, then strike with an ambush team from the woods." The girl moved her miniature soldiers across the map._

" _Hmm, an interesting move," the white-haired adult sitting across from her noted. "I would move...here. Now you find yourself trapped in a pincer movement. What do you say to that?"_

 _The girl stared intently at the pieces on the board, trying to look for a way out, but much her dismay, she realized she had walked right into a trap. "No...I can't do anything! I lost again!"_

 _The white-haired man gave a small chuckle. "Well, I AM always three steps ahead," he boasted, though the gentle look in his eyes indicated that he was just joking around. "I must admit, you're learning at an exceptional pace. There were actually a couple moments where I was one step shy of getting wiped out."_

" _Really?" the girl questioned the adult. "You sure you're not just saying that to make me feel better?"_

" _I promise. I'll even pinky swear, if you want." The older male gave a playful wink and ruffled the younger girl's hair. Just then, another voice echoed through the air, calling the girl's name. A fair distance from where the two sat, a group of children were running around in field of grass. The voice came from a boy around the girl's age who was motioning for her to come and join them._

" _You should go and play with them," the white-haired man urged._

" _Aw, but I want to stay here with you!" the girl pleaded._

" _And while it's good to see that you're eager to study tactics, it's also important to act like your age sometimes. You can't hole yourself in a library and forget to socialize with others, especially when you have lots of people who want to get to know you better." The man waved his hand at the group of children in the distance. "Being a child is the best time of your life; learn to relish in it every once in a while." He then put his hand to his chest. "Take it from this weary old fool."_

 _The girl laughed. "Come on, Father. You're not that old! But alright. I'll go and...relish in my childhood."_

" _That's a good girl. Oh, and one more thing…" the father added as his daughter stood up and dusted her pants. "Cherish the memories you make with others, because it's through those experiences that you begin to forge strong ties with each other. So long as you have those, you won't become a pawn of some scripted fate; the invisible ties you create will bind you all together forever."_

" _That sounds pretty ominous…" the girl said nervously._

 _The older male laughed. "Just make some friends and don't throw them away for the world. Can you at least do that?"_

" _O-Okay!" The girl smiled and moved forward to hug her father, who returned the embrace. After releasing her hug, she skipped along to the field to join the other children._

* * *

Morgan groggily woke up from her slumber. Sunlight streamed through the windows as the sound of birds chirping signaled the dawn of another day. Sitting up and rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she glanced over to the clock on her nightstand. It read 9:29.

"Yikes, that's pretty late!" she exclaimed to herself. "Well, for me, at least." Morgan was normally an early riser, often waking up around 6:00 in the morning so she could get herself ready for morning classes and, if time allowed, go over some of the course material. 'Then again, I _was_ feeling a bit tired after what happened yesterday. Thank goodness today's a free day, or who knows what could've happened!' After saying a quick prayer of thanks to no deity in particular, she got out of her bed and walked over to her sink. 'So the entire day is mine, huh?' she thought as she put toothpaste on her toothbrush. 'Hmm, I wonder what I should do today…'

After she finished brushing her teeth, she turned towards her bookshelf. "Might as well hit the books."

Morgan spent the next half hour finishing any incomplete assignments and then spent another hour looking over material for the upcoming week. She tested herself on some of the vocabulary for political economics class, went over some of the key terms for orbal science class, and glanced through the biology textbook before deciding she was too bored to read further. Currently, she was perusing through the section in the history textbook that covered the War of the Lions. Learning about history normally wouldn't have been the first thing up her alley, but the way Erebonian history was structured almost made it seem like an exciting fairy tale, so much so that Morgan would often get a kick out of reading her history textbook rather than a regular fiction book.

"'Taking into account where and how Emperor Dreichels was able to gather his army, explain why you believe there hasn't been another civil war in Erebonia since the War of the Lions.'" Morgan read a question from the textbook. She pondered the question in her head and took out a piece of paper, deciding to write down her answer for fun. "Most of the aristocrats in the War of the Lions hired mercenaries and other soldiers to do the fighting for them," she wrote. "In fact, one could technically argue that Dreichels was no different, seeing as he gathered warriors from across Nord and later the Eisenritter to aid him in his quest to fight the other factions. However, it was the manner through which he gathered his forces that set him apart from the other aristocrats. The textbook stated that he 'won over influential supporters with his charisma' and 'treated each of them as equals'. I believe that it was through this attitude of treating soldiers as more than just tools of war that Dreichels was able to leave a lasting impression as he did, as it was through forging those strong ties with others that he was able to maintain a positive influence for generations to follow. Civil wars are brought about by a number of factors, but a big driving one that is present in the start of many of them is a difference in opinion between multiple factions. If their difference in opinions is so great that people refuse to back down, tensions will inevitably rise to the point where clashes in ideals would lead to clashes with...violence and lots of blood. Dreichels was able to counteract that after winning the war by creating and maintaining a stable net of relations with the band of supporters he gained across multiple provinces before and during the war. Of course, these provinces would later grow their own opinions over time and eventually new factions would be created to counter said opinions (e.g. the Reformist Faction) but that is beside the point.

"So in conclusion, Dreichels made a lot of friends and didn't throw them away for the world even after they fulfilled their initial purpose, and that is why the empire was able to stay connected for this long. Moral of the story: don't underestimate the magical bonds of friendship."

Morgan snorted as she wrote the last line and couldn't help but let out a laugh. "Even I can't believe I just wrote that…" She leaned backwards in her chair and arched her back so she could see her clock behind her. "It's...11:15, I think?" She then heard her stomach rumble. "And it's almost time for lunch." Morgan stood up from her desk and took a look outside her window. 'Wow, now that I look at it, the weather's beautiful today!' She strolled on over to her closet where she kept her uniform. 'I think I'm in the mood for some pizza today.'

* * *

The good thing about the location of the Class VII dormitory was that it was closer to the suburban area of Trista compared to the dormitories for the other classes, which meant that a trip to Kirsche's Cafe and Inn for a quick bite to eat was only a short distance away. Such convenient access to food meant that the students of Class VII had become frequent customers at the cafe in the brief couple weeks they were at the academy. Thus, when Morgan opened the door to the cafe and entered it, she was immediately greeted by its employees with a sense of familiarity. Though the academy cafeteria still had faster service, it was the atmosphere and variety of food offered at Kirsche's that kept Class VII coming back as their diner of choice.

"Hey, Morgan," Fred, the orange-haired barista by the counter said. "What can I get ya today?"

"Oh, nothing much, Fred," the black-haired girl replied. "I think I'll have a Crispy Pizza."

"Sure thing." Fred quickly scribbled her order on a piece of rectangular paper. "Extra meat on yours, right?"

Morgan smirked. "You know me well. Oh, can I also try some of your Passionate Soup? I've been meaning to order that for some time now."

Fred nodded. "Got it. That's all, right? Feel free to take a seat anywhere."

"Actually, can I sit outside this time? I feel like taking in nature today."

"Sounds like a plan." The barista nodded and smiled. "It IS pretty nice out today. Dolly'll bring your food out in a bit."

After thanking Fred once more, Morgan stepped out of the cafe and sat at one of the outdoor tables. She took a deep breath and basked in her surroundings for a moment. The lino flowers that once grew plentifully in the trees were now starting to wilt, but that did little to diminish their overall beauty. Aside from that, Morgan could also spot some Thors students mingling with the locals and clearly enjoying their day off from classes. She found one brown-haired girl in particular who seemed to be chatting and doing some window-shopping with an elderly lady. Morgan smiled and closed her eyes, waiting for her meal to arrive. Just one bite of that crispy, cheesy, meaty pizza and this view would be perfect!

"Um, excuse me?" asked a young woman's voice.

'Wow, already? That was fast!' Morgan turned to face Dolly the waitress, though she immediately noticed two things. Firstly, she wasn't holding any food, and secondly, she had a concerned expression on her face. "You ordered the Passionate Soup today, right?"

"Yeah, that's right." Morgan nodded.

"I'm terribly sorry, but we can't actually make any of those right now," Dolly apologized.

"Is that so?" Morgan blinked. "In that case, you can just forget about that order then."

"That's very kind of you to offer, but this does present a problem…" Her voice trailed off.

'A problem?' That piqued Morgan's interest. "Mind if I speak to Fred about this?"

The brown-haired waitress nodded and motioned for her to go in. Morgan did so and saw Fred mildly panicking at the counter. When he noticed that Morgan was walking towards him, he immediately recomposed himself. "Hey. Look, I'm really sorry about this. Your pizza's almost done, though, so don't worry about that."

"Glad to hear it, but I'm not here for that." Morgan waved her hand. "What's the problem?"

The orange-haired barista sighed. "I've got a little stock issue on my hands here, by which I mean that I'm all out of a certain seasoning."

"And I take it this seasoning is necessary to make the Passionate Soup?" Morgan guessed.

Fred nodded. "Wouldn't be called 'Passionate Soup' if it wasn't there, if we're bein' honest. The seasoning is made from passion leaves, a rare kind of spice from the south of Zemuria. Brandon from the general goods store usually orders 'em for me, but it usually takes at least a business day for them to come if they're ordered in advance."

Morgan crossed her arms. "So you can't just swap out the spice in the meantime?" she asked. "Or put up a sign that says that you're not serving it today?"

"That's not the issue here," Fred said, shaking his head. "The Passionate Soup is one of our more popular items, and since it's almost going to be lunch time, I'm sure we're going to have a lot of customers come in with that dish in mind. To make matters worse, today's a free day for the students, which means we're probably going to be getting some students wanting it as well. Lost stock leads to lost sales, then lost sales leads to less money earned!" Fred started pulling his hair. "Gah, if I'd just kept an eye on my stock, I probably wouldn't have run out! This one's totally on me!"

"Hey, calm down." Morgan told him. "Let's just be glad you found about this before the lunch rush started." She cupped her chin with her fist and started thinking of a solution. 'If the spices can't come until at least a day later, then the only way for Fred to get his hands on some right now would be to get them directly from someplace in Trista that carried individual ingredients,' she thought. 'We can rule out Brandon's General Goods, since he probably doesn't have any on hand right now, so that would only leave…' She lowered her hand. "Say, why don't I go to the school cafeteria for you and see if they have some passion leaves?"

Fred perked up. "For real? You'd do that?"

"Well, I don't know if they actually have any today, so don't get your hopes too high up, but it's the only other option. There aren't many other places in Trista with a kitchen, and we can't just go door-to-door asking for ingredients."

The barista chuckled. "Hey, a small chance is better than none, as they say! I really hate to ask, but...can you check with them for me?"

Morgan eagerly nodded. "Of course! Just make sure my pizza comes out looking alright and we'll be even!" After Fred gave another thanks, Morgan turned and left the cafe. Making a hard left, she set her sights on the academy and started running as fast as she could.

When she got to the Student Union building, Morgan asked the lady at the cashier if she could speak to one of the cafeteria's chefs. The lady was puzzled at first, but after Morgan briefly went over the situation at Kirsche's, she nodded understandingly and called for a tall mustached man in a cook's uniform to talk to her. After explaining the situation in greater detail to the chef, he asked her to wait a moment and left to check some of the food boxes in the back of the kitchen. When he came back, he handed her a bundle of passion leaves. As it just so happened, one of the sides for the daily special was using passion leaves, so the cafeteria had plenty to spare. With leaves in hand, Morgan rushed out of the cafeteria to head back to Kirsche's.

By the time she made it back to the cafe, Morgan was panting from all the sprinting she had to do. "Morgan!" Fred called to her as she stepped into the cafe. "You okay there?"

Morgan held up her index finger and took a moment to catch her breath. "I...may have underestimated the distance between here and the cafeteria." She then brought out the bundle of passion leaves. "But hey! I found some leaves! They're all yours."

Fred took the bundle out of Morgan's hand. "No way...I can't believe you actually got these!" He inspected the bundle to see if they were the real deal. "And there's so many here, too! Just how much did all of these run you?"

The black-haired girl shrugged her shoulders. "You'd have to ask Ramsay from the cafeteria that. He's the one who gave them to me. He also said that if you're ever low on those until you get your next stock, go talk to him."

"I see. I'll have to be sure to go thank Ramsay next time I get the chance." Fred set the leaves aside. "But I can't forget to thank you, either! It's kinda flattering that you went to all that trouble just to get these leaves for little ol' me."

Morgan let out a small laugh. "Don't mention it."

"Say, I may as well ask you now…" Fred continued. "You're not part of the Student Council, are you?"

Morgan tilted her head in confusion. "Uh…no? Why do you ask?"

"Oh, it's just that they've helped everyone here in Trista out quite a bit over the years, us included," the barista explained. "Seeing you try so hard just kinda reminded me of their style. That's all."

Morgan hummed to herself. "Well, I guess you could say I'm a bit used to running around doing errands. People sometimes called me "shamelessly self-driven", whatever that means." A thought occurred in her mind. "But actually, there's this one guy in my class who's helping them out today with fulfilling requests from people. Do you send requests to the Student Council regularly?"

Fred nodded. "Yep, they're like our personal problem-solvers. It's probably a ton of work for them, but I think they all feel like it's work worth doing. Oh yeah! I almost forgot." He walked over to the furnace and pulled out a pizza with lots of meat on it. "Here's your pizza."

Morgan's eyes lit up like a hungry carnivore, all questions regarding the Student Council promptly vanishing from her mind. "Yay! I've been waiting for this!"

"There weren't any other people ordering a pizza so I was able to keep yours nice and toasty," the orange-haired barista said as he placed the pizza on a plate. "I'll have Dolly bring out your soup in a few minutes, and as thanks for pulling me outta the fire today, this meal's on the house."

"Aw, you don't have to go that far!" Morgan said. "At least let me pay for the pizza."

"Consider this 'owner's orders'." Fred insisted. "Now go out there, sit at your table, and enjoy your lunch. You're gonna start hoggin' up the line!"

Morgan turned to see a group of Thors students coming in. She saluted the barista behind the counter in an exaggerated fashion. "Yes sir!" Taking her pizza off his hands, Morgan walked out of the cafe with a spring in her step and sat down at her table. She picked up a slice and squealed giddily as she took a bite out of it. Several minutes and a few pizza slices later, Dolly came out with a bowl of Passionate Soup, but not without thanking Morgan for her help. Morgan proceeded to take a sip from the fruits of her labor.

Needless to say, it tasted very satisfying.

* * *

"I stayed a bit longer than I expected," Morgan remarked as she left Kirsche's. She had insisted on at least paying for the tip and left some mira on the table. "I wonder what everyone else is doing right now…" she wondered.

At that moment, Morgan's ARCUS started ringing. She brought her orbment out and answered the call. "Hello? Who is it?"

"Hey, Morgan," answered a familiar male voice.

"Oh, Rean!" she recognized. "How are things going with the Student Council?"

"Pretty good," he replied. "Mostly just going around the academy and Trista running errands, just like President Towa said I'd be doing. It certainly tests your endurance, though…"

Morgan laughed. "I can relate to that. Anyways, what's up?"

"I'm sure I already know the answer to this, but I might as well ask again: are you free right now?"

"If by 'free' you mean 'taking a walk and doing nothing in particular', then yes, I am."

"Good," Rean said, sounding relieved. "Can you come meet me in front of the old schoolhouse?"

"The old schoolhouse?" Morgan was puzzled. "You mean the one we went to on the first day of school, right? Why there?"

"It's for one of the Student Council tasks," he explained. "I'll go over the details once you're there, but this one came from the principal himself, so I figured I'd get as much help as possible."

"From Principal Vandyck?" Morgan reiterated. "That sounds important. Tell you what, I'm walking towards the Class VII dorm right now. Could you give me around 10 minutes to get my weapon? I have a feeling I'll need it just in case."

"That's a good idea. By the way, I asked Elliot and Gaius to start heading over there as well, but they're finishing things up with their clubs, so take all the time you need. I'll give you all the rundown once we're all accounted for, and then we'll head in together. Sound good?"

"Sounds like a plan. I'll see you later."

"Right. See you there." After that, Rean hung up.

Morgan put her orbment in her skirt pocket and made a quick dash to the Class VII dormitory. After running up the stairs to her room, she grabbed her axe from the weapon display and lengthened it to its two-handed form to see if there was anything wrong. Once she was satisfied, she walked over to her desk and opened one of the cabinets that contained her other tactical orbment on top of her father's strategy book. After hesitating for a moment, she picked up the orbment and put it into one of the pockets inside her blazer.

"'A good tactician has nothing to fear', right?" she told herself. Double-checking once more that she had everything she needed, she reverted her weapon to its original form and started making her way to the old schoolhouse.

* * *

By the time Morgan made it to the entrance of the old schoolhouse, all three of the other boys were already there, huddled up in a tight circle and discussing amongst themselves. Morgan called out to them to get their attention.

"Hey!" she greeted them. "Hope I didn't keep you all waiting."

"Not at all," Gaius replied. "I just happened to get here myself."

"Same here," Elliot said.

Seeing that everyone he called was gathered, Rean cleared his throat. "Anyways, now that we're all accounted for, let me explain why I called you all here today." And so, Rean gave the rundown on his request from Principal Vandyck, explaining how Class VII was tasked with investigating the old schoolhouse to see if there were any truths to the strange rumors that were floating around as of late.

"Alterations in the building, you say?" Gaius asked to make sure he heard that correctly.

"Not only that, but the schoolhouse is apparently a nesting place for fiends?" Morgan also added.

Rean nodded. "That's what the principal told me, at least."

"I-I really don't think this is a good idea…" Elliot whimpered.

Rean gave a small chuckle to lighten the mood. "Well...that's because it probably isn't. Honestly, I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to turn back now."

"N-No thanks, I'll come with you," the red-haired boy replied. "We've got that practical exam next week, after all." He brought out an orbal staff that was like Emma's, except it was white and green and had a slightly different design. "I need to familiarize with this orbal staff as much as possible before then. Besides, if I turned back, I'd just wind up worrying myself sick about the three of you!"

Gaius nodded and brought out his spear. Now that Morgan had a better look at it, the spearhead had a unique cross shape that made it seem useful for thrusting and slashing, kind of like her own weapon. "There are currently four of us right now, which means there are enough people for each of us to form a combat link. However, we'll still need to watch each other's backs and proceed with caution."

Rean put a hand on his sword that was in a sheath by his waist. "Are we all ready, then?" he asked the others. Elliot, Gaius, and Morgan all nodded. "Well, let's head on in then." The group proceeded to walk up the stairs to the old schoolhouse. Once they reached the front doors, Rean retrieved a key from his pocket and unlocked them. After taking in a collective breath, the four students walked into the building to begin their investigation.

* * *

 **Author's note: I was originally planning for the entire day to be one big chapter, but then I got the idea of incorporating some of the hidden sidequests from the original game so Morgan had something to do instead of twiddling her thumbs until the old schoolhouse investigation. As you can see, the result is a bit of a slow first part, but I'm hoping to make that up with the second part, which includes a proper boss fight! Look forward to that. Or not. The choice is yours.  
Also, apologies with the bland-ish chapter titles. Coming up with names was never my strong suit. ｍ（｡≧ _ ≦｡）ｍ**


	5. April 18th - Afternoon to Evening

"Whoa…" Rean's mouth was agape. They had just entered the stairway room where Class VII had fought the gargoyle during their orienteering exercise. Elliot and Morgan exhibited the same reaction as Rean while Gaius merely crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes.

On the one hand, the gargoyle that Class VII had encountered during their orienteering exercise was gone. However, it wasn't the only thing that was currently missing; the stairway room was now about half the size it was originally, with the rest of the floor now being barred off by a wall and another door.

"Was that door there before?" Elliot questioned.

"Nope." Morgan recalled the day of the exercise. "I specifically remember running through an open corridor to get to you guys. On top of that, it looks like this room's even smaller than it was before."

Rean shook his head in disbelief. "I'm not sure what to believe anymore…"

"Strange though it may be, we should go and take a closer look at that," Gaius said, pointing to the new door. "This is essentially why we came, after all."

The group descended down the stone staircase and walked to the new door at the far end of the floor. To their surprise, when the group got near it, it slid open by itself like an automatic door. They went through the door...where they were treated to an even bigger surprise.

"Um...guys?" Morgan asked. "Are you sure this is the same place?"

"I don't even remember going through this place at all!" Elliot exclaimed. "And we even went in circles the first time through!"

"Unbelievable…" Gaius remarked. For once, his face showed visible shock. "There are even new structures that weren't here previously." He pointed specifically to an orb-shaped device to the right of the group that seemed inactive at the moment. "I've never seen anything like this at all."

Rean turned to face the other three teens. "It looks like the entire layout of the floor has changed since we were last here. Not only that, but I'd bet on anything that there are new types of monsters roaming around here, too."

"Yes." Gaius nodded his head. "That's what I'm sensing as well."

"So what's the plan?" the lone girl of the group questioned. "Are we going to keep on exploring?"

"Well, the principal sent us down here to investigate these mysterious changes, so that's exactly what we're going to do," Rean answered. "Now that we've seen just how major these changes are, there's no way we can go back empty-handed. We should head as far in as we're able."

Elliot slumped his shoulders and sighed. "Here we go, then…"

Morgan patted the air behind his back. "Ah, relax. It probably won't be as bad as you think...probably."

The tallest of the group said a quick prayer for good measure. "May the Goddess be with us."

* * *

After walking a fair distance, the four students came across a pair of slug monsters.

"Slug-like monsters…" Elliot said, a little bit creeped out.

Gaius hummed to himself. "This one could prove a little awkward to fight."

"And there's two of them to boot," Morgan added. "Well, that's why we've got these, right?" She brought out her ARCUS.

"You're right," Rean agreed. "If we make good use of our combat links, we shouldn't have any trouble at all."

"Then let's pair up." Morgan waved her ARCUS around. "Rean, you want to be my partner first?"

The swordsman nodded. "Sure thing."

Gaius turned to Elliot. "Then I guess the two of us are linking up?"

"Looks like it," Elliot affirmed. "I'll do my best to back you up."

"Are we all ready?" Rean asked. The other three students nodded. "Then let's do this!" Two pairs of combat links were immediately formed as shown by two glowing lines connecting two fighters together along the floor. Rean unsheathed his sword, a longsword with a sleeker blade that he called a tachi, and together he and Morgan rushed to meet the monster on the left. Gaius meanwhile started moving towards the slug on the right with Elliot preparing an art.

Rean landed the first blow of the fight, slashing at the left slug before it could notice he was coming. The slug tried to retaliate, but Rean sliced two more times, staggering the monster. "Now's your chance!" he called to Morgan.

"I got you!" she replied. Taking that as her cue, she rushed the monster and let loose a flurry of axe swings. "Go down!" She brought down her weapon with one vertical slice and promptly defeated the slug.

Off to the side, Gaius was drawing the attention of the remaining monster, stabbing at it from a safe distance. Eventually, the slug hurled back and let out a liquid solution that the spearman easily dodged to the side. He gave a quick nod to Elliot and the orbal staff user moved up to the monster while it was distracted and released several blue orbs from its staff, staggering it for a moment. With a critical opening, Gaius thrust his spear into the monster with full force, soundly ending it.

Elliot breathed a sigh of relief. "Well...that sure seemed to do the trick!"

"Yes," his partner concurred. "We fought well."

Rean flicked his sword to get rid of the monster goo on it. "If we can master these combat links, I'm sure they'll prove really useful in the battles ahead." He sheathed his sword. "We've practiced the basics in Instructor Sara's combat classes, but now's our chance to get some proper field application. We should probably try to practice as much as possible while the stakes are low." He then noticed the last member of their group crouching down at the spot where the monster she defeated was. "Morgan, is something wrong?"

"Huh?" Morgan turned to face the group. "Oh, it's nothing. It's just...doesn't this look like sepith to you guys?"

The three boys walked forward to inspect the spot where Morgan was crouching. Sure enough, there were several crystals of assorted colors scattered on the ground. "That's sepith, alright," Rean confirmed. "Did that come from the monster we just defeated?"

Elliot quickly ran over to check the spot where the monster they defeated used to be. "There isn't any sepith on our end."

"Maybe only certain monsters drop sepith upon being defeated?" Gaius tried to explain.

"And just what determines that?" Morgan wondered. She then shook her head. "Eh, whatever. It looks real, so…" She proceeded to scoop up all the sepith and put it into one of her blazer pockets.

"W-wait, you're just going to put those in your pocket?" Rean asked. "They just came from a monster!"

Morgan shrugged her shoulders. "If you've got pockets, you might as well use them!"

"No, that's not…" Rean shook his head in defeat. "You know what, never mind. We should move on."

The students made no more objections and proceeded to do so.

* * *

The investigation team continued to make their way through the maze-like floor. There was less room for talking as there were more monsters present than there were previously, but they did strike up some conversation in between fights. Namely, Morgan was surprised to hear that on top of fulfilling requests for the Student Council, Rean took the time to help Elliot with unloading some packages that came from home and watch Gaius draw some rough sketches in the Art Club, a rather stark contrast to how she spent the majority of her morning. It was also then that Morgan learned where the other two boys came from. Gaius hailed from the Nord Highlands, which surprised both her and Elliot considering the class had just talked about the location in history class the previous day (according to Rean, he had the same reaction as well). Elliot, meanwhile, was from Heimdallr, same as her, although he lived on the east side of the capital whereas Morgan lived on the west side. Given how Heimdallr consisted of sixteen different districts with a population of around 800,000 and counting, it was understandable that neither of them realized they came from the same city.

Eventually, the group found themselves in a rectangular room. To the left side of the room, there was another orb-like structure like the one the group saw at the beginning of the floor. To the right was a cylinder with lights that appeared to be an orbment chargin station. Up ahead past a set of stairs was another area sealed off by another door.

Gaius let out a chuckle of relief. "Looks like we made it through."

"That we did," Rean affirmed. "I'm sure there's something else beyond that door there, but let's take a moment to catch our breath first."

"Not sure what a charging station is doing all the way down here." Morgan commented, pointing to the orbment station in question. "But if it works, we may as well use it, right?"

The other students agreed and together they inserted their ARCUS units into the charging station. While they were waiting for their orbments to recharge, they all huddled around the orb-shaped device. "Didn't we see something like this near the entrance?" Elliot asked.

"It does appear to be the same kind of device," Gaius confirmed.

"And this one's inactive too, from the looks of it." Rean inched a bit closer to the orb so he could inspect it.

"It looks like a gigantic light bulb," Morgan noted. "You think it lights up?"

Rean shook his head. "There doesn't seem to be anything like a switch." The students then heard a chime from the charging station, signaling that their orbments were all recharged. "I guess we'll find out later."

Each of them took his or her ARCUS unit from the station and opened it. "Yup, all charged up and ready to go," Morgan said. "Now that I look at it, though, the rest of you guys have different quartzes, right? Mind if I have a look?"

"Not at all," the tallest of them said. The two of them exchanged ARCUS units while Rean and Elliot did the same with theirs.

"So yours is green, huh?" Morgan commented. "That means that it's a wind elemental quartz."

"And yours is blue, so it's a water elemental quartz," Gaius responded. "I have to say, I find the color soothing."

"Oh, your quartz is blue, too?" Elliot asked. "Mine's the same. Now that I think about it, I'm sure things would be pretty confusing if we all swapped ARCUS units."

"I wouldn't be too concerned," Rean said. "Each of these quartzes has a symbol in the middle, so I think we can tell whose ARCUS is whose based on that." Rean handed Morgan Elliot's orbment. Sure enough, his quartz was blue but had a arrow-shaped symbol adorned with outwards-pointing spikes embedded in the middle. Rean took a look at Gaius's ARCUS unit and smiled. "Wow, Gaius's looks like a bird's head."

The teen from Nord gave a lighthearted chuckle as he and Elliot traded orbments. "I was surprised when I saw that, too. I'd say it's fitting, though, considering where I come from."

"Are there a lot of wild birds in the Nord Highlands?" Morgan asked.

He nodded. "Various kinds. Watching hawks soar through the blue sky was one of my favorite pastimes." It was brief, but the exchange student from Nord had a wistful look in his eyes. "Moving back to quartzes, though, this one's yours, right Rean?" He showed the ARCUS to everyone. It had a red quartz with the symbol of a flame in it. "The imagery is fitting for a fire elemental quartz."

"Now that I think about it, what do each of these symbols mean?" Elliot queried. "I mean, I get that it's to distinguish each of these quartzes apart from each other, but I can't be the only one to think that that's the only reason, right?"

"You know, I just remembered!" Rean spoke up. "I know a guy on campus who can answer any of your quartz-related questions. I'd be happy to direct you to him once we're all finished here."

"I think that's a good place to leave off on." Morgan closed the cover on the ARCUS unit in her hands. "We've spent enough time resting, right?" Once each of the ARCUS units was returned to their respectful owner, the group walked up to the door on the far end of the room. Much like the door leading to the first floor, this door automatically opened as soon as the students went near it.

Upon entering the room, the investigation team took a moment to look at their surroundings. The room was fairly large in length and height with several sets of stone pillars positioned throughout it. It made the students question how something this big was inside a single building.

As the students walked further in, the door behind them closed shut.

"Uh oh," Elliot worried. "That doesn't sound good."

Suddenly, a vortex of light in the center of the room crackled into existence.

Morgan immediately drew her weapon. "You just had to say something, didn't you?" The three remaining boys readied their weapons as well.

As the light dissipated, a strange monster appeared in its place. It was humanoid in shape, except it had pointed horns on its head, its arms and legs were covered in fur, and it had long, purple claws attached to its hands and feet. Its body and head also seemed to be covered in armor, adding to its menacing appearance. The creature reared its head and let out a loud roar.

"Looks like we're going to have to fight our way out of this one," Rean said.

"This looks tough," Elliot cautioned. "Be careful!"

Two pairs of ARCUS links were tied, one between Rean and Morgan and the other between Gaius and Elliot. The monster charged in with a punch, prompting both pairs to jump out of the way. Gaius made the first move by thrusting his spear into the monster's hide from a safe distance. Elliot immediately began casting an art and released a heavy mass of water onto the monster. The enemy was stunned for a moment, which gave Rean and Morgan a chance to dash in and attack it together. The monster quickly regained composure, however, and it spun around to get its attackers off of it. Both Rean and Morgan were sent flying backwards in different directions.

The monster then set its sights on Gaius, lunging towards the spearman while swinging its claws. Gaius did his best to parry the attacks as best he could without taking substantial damage. Eventually the monster breathed a cloud of purple mist, which caused Gaius to drop his guard for a moment as he tried to swat away the mist. This allowed the monster to land a clean hit and send Gaius skidding across the floor. Panicking, Elliot tried to rush to his partner's aid, but the monster took note of him and blocked his path. Its stance then lowered, signalling that it was preparing another attack.

"Not on my watch!" Morgan quickly activated her ARCUS with Rean following suit. "Aqua Bleed!" She called out the name of her art as a mass of water flew to hit the enemy. Rean then finished casting his art and launched a bolt of fire to damage it further.

"Rean!" Morgan said to her partner. "Go help Gaius! I'll support Elliot!"

"Got it!" The two severed their link as Rean went over to help Gaius up while Morgan went to draw the monster's attention. Eyeing the newest threat on the field, it brought down one of its hands to try and crush Morgan. She deftly dodged and rolled to the side. Upon reaching an upright position, she leapt up from the ground and performed a spinning attack, hitting the creature from behind. Elliot assisted by swinging his orbal staff and releasing several translucent bubbles that, upon popping on contact, made the monster fall over.

"Did that do it?" Elliot asked.

Morgan took a few cautious steps forward and shook her head. "No, I think you only put it to sleep. Come on; let's regroup while we have the chance." The red-haired teen nodded and they both moved to Rean and Gaius. Upon reaching their classmates, Elliot put his staff in the middle of them and said a few words, causing his staff to light up. A field of orbal energy materialized, giving everyone some much-needed healing.

"Thanks," said Gaius, looking a little bit better than before. "I appreciate it."

"We've only got a few more moments until that thing's back on its feet," Rean spoke, noticing the monster tossing and turning on the floor. "If anyone's got any ideas, now would be the time to say it."

Immediately, Morgan's mind began to work. First, she looked at the monster, then at her teammates, and finally to her surroundings. She put a hand on the blazer pocket which contained her personal orbment. "Guess now's a better time than ever," she muttered. Putting her ARCUS unit away in her skirt pocket, she reached into her blazer and brought out her own tactical orbment.

Elliot's eyes widened. "You have _another_ one? Wait, no. It looks like a regular orbment."

"Sorry for not showing you guys this before," the black-haired girl apologized, "but I promised myself that I'd only use this for emergencies, and right now I think this is an emergency!" She turned to Rean and Gaius. "Rean? Gaius? Each of you get behind one of those stone pillars. Once that thing's staggered, the two of you link up and unleash your strongest attacks."

"How do you plan on staggering it?" Gaius questioned.

"I've got an idea," she replied. "Just trust me on this. Elliot, can you cast Aqua Bleed again?"

Elliot nodded in response and started preparing his art while Rean and Gaius moved into position. Soon after, the monster woke from its temporary slumber and noticed two people standing across from it on the other side of the room. Elliot began to falter at the sight of the enemy's gaze.

"Don't worry," Morgan assured him as she started casting her art. "I'm right here."

Elliot gave a quiet thanks. The monster began moving forward to its targets, not noticing Rean and Gaius hiding behind the pillars it passed. Before the monster could take another step, Elliot finished readying his art and launched a mass of water at it. Immediately after, Morgan finished casting her art and unleashed a bolt of lightning from her orbment. The succession of arts caused the monster to be dowsed in water and then electrocuted by the lightning. This, in conjunction with the metal armor it wore, caused the monster to be paralyzed in place. Morgan smiled in triumph. "Now's your chance! Go for it!"

The other two front-line attackers yelled in response as they moved from their hiding spots and an ARCUS was created between the two of them. Gaius spun his spear over his head, creating a miniature gust of wind around him, while Rean sheathed his sword and waited. Once Gaius created enough momentum, he readied his spear and thrust it forward, creating a wind projectile that staggered the monster and blew off its armor. Following up on the attack, Rean dashed forward and unsheathed his sword, dealing a critical blow. Finally, Morgan made her move and lunged forward with her weapon pointed towards the monster. It tried to move its arms forward for one last attempt to protect itself, but by that point it was already too late, as Morgan had already thrust her axe into the monster's torso with its blade facing up. "This ends here!" After saying those words, Morgan forcefully dislodged her weapon by pulling it up like a lever. The monster let out one final roar before it disappeared in an explosion of purple light.

Once the light cleared, a considerable amount of sepith lay scattered on the floor. Upon seeing the loot, Morgan immediately began going to work and scooped up as much as she could fit into her pockets.

Elliot let out a sigh of relief as he reconvened with the others. "That was one tough battle. Still, we made it through!"

Rean nodded and smiled as he sheathed his tachi. "We sure did. I'm really starting to get the hang of these combat links now, too. It feels like the ARCUS has practically synchronized my breathing with all of you!" he added.

Gaius gave a small chuckle. "That's a good way to put it. It's a strange feeling...but not a bad one." He looked over to Morgan. "Still, I think we can say that the appearance of sepith depends on whether Morgan deals the final blow."

The girl in question stood up and dusted herself. "Yeah, probably."

"I definitely wasn't expecting you to pull out another orbment, though," Rean said. "You could've told us sooner that you had something like that."

Morgan scratched the back of her head. "I guess it's a case of deceiving your friends first so you can deceive your enemies?" She brought out her orbment for the others to see. "It was made and compiled with chaining together arts of the same element in mind. It's good for small skirmishes and such, but I only know how to use one orbment at a time right now, so don't expect me to use this often in certain situations." She put it away in her skirt pocket alongside her ARCUS unit. "I've been given clearance to keep it with me so long as I don't use it for classes."

"Really?" Rean raised his eyebrow. "Never would have thought that the academy allowed something like that."

"Regardless, it's something to keep in mind in the future," Gaius said as he looked around the room. "I think we've reached the end of the line, however."

"Sure looks that way," Rean agreed. "I didn't see any other routes we could have taken." He folded his arms and closed his eyes to think. "It really does feel like the entire structure of the ruins has changed completely since we were last here."

"Y-yeah…" Elliot nodded his head. "It's a little hard to believe. So what now? Do we head back?"

All eyes laid on Rean to make the call. "Yeah, there's nothing else for us to see. Let's head back outside." The group walked back the way they came through the automatic door. Upon leaving, they noticed that the orb-shaped device that was originally dormant was now lit up. The gears surrounding the device were now turning as well.

"Okay, that definitely wasn't glowing before, right?" Morgan asked to make sure she remembered things correctly.

"No, I'm quite certain it wasn't," Gaius confirmed.

"Has something caused it to turn on, then?" Rean wondered. "We should go have a closer look."

"S-something tells me we ought to be careful…" Elliot worried, but he joined the group in huddling around the device. Rean touched the orb. Immediately, the glow intensified.

"Wh-whoa!" Rean exclaimed.

"Hey, guys?" Elliot looked around him frantically. The circle at the base of the device started glowing as well. In an instant, the space surrounding the group glowed perfectly white, causing each person to shield his or her eyes. When the light died down, the students were standing by the device that was at the entrance.

"We seem to have returned to the entrance," Gaius said, stating the obvious.

"But we were just at the entrance…" Rean's mouth was agape.

Elliot shook his head in disbelief. "This place really is nothing but mysteries!"

Morgan put her hand to her chin. "Is this...magic?" she muttered to herself. 'Why does this remind me of...no, it can't be.'

"I'll just have to keep this in mind when I give my report to the principal," Rean decided. He then looked at his other classmates. "I hate to ask more from you all, but would you mind coming with me?" Morgan, Elliot, and Gaius agreed, and together they left the dungeon.

Fortunately, neither the stairway room nor the entrance hall had changed form since the time they first entered the building.

* * *

By the time the group emerged from the old schoolhouse, the sun had already begun to set. The students made their way to the principal's office on the first floor of the main building, where they were met by both Principal Vandyck and Instructor Sara. After giving a thorough vocal report on their investigation, the principal briefly talked about the origins of the ruins beneath the schoolhouse and how they were supposedly around since some 1200 years ago before congratulating the students on their successful expedition and awarding each of them a small quartz that they inserted into their respective ARCUS units. Instructor Sara also gave her congratulations to the students and promised them that she'd look into the old schoolhouse in her own time and update them should she find anything interesting. Before she left, however, she indirectly made Rean promise that he'll help with the investigation and the Student Council next month as well.

"Are you sure you're all right with this, Rean?" Gaius asked the swordsman as Instructor Sara left, whistling a tune as she walked.

"Yeah, I'm sure," Rean assured him. "It's not like I'm signed up to any clubs, and as long as I don't wind up with too many more than I had today, I'll be fine."

Gaius nodded in understanding. "Well...okay, then. But if you need any assistance, please just let me know. It's really no trouble."

"Same goes for me," Elliot agreed. "I'll be happy to come with you next time you go to the old schoolhouse, too!"

"The principal specifically said this was a job for all of Class VII, so I'll try and talk to the other girls about this, too," Morgan offered.

Rean beamed at his classmates. "Thanks again, you three. I'll be counting on you."

The investigation team went their separate ways for the time being, but Morgan then remembered about the sepith that was filling up her pockets and ran to catch up with Rean. "Hey, Rean! You said you knew a guy who could answer our questions regarding quartz, right? Mind telling me his name?"

Rean blinked. "Oh, that's right. I never told you guys, didn't I? Well, I'm not sure if he's still in, but...do you remember the boy who was with President Towa when she checked us in during the entrance ceremony?"

"Oh, that guy?" Morgan tried to recall his name. "His name was...George, right? Second year? Wears yellow clothes? Kind of chubby?"

Rean nodded. "Yup, that's him. You can find him in the Engineering Building next to the Student Union. If you've got any orbal-related questions, he's your guy."

"Next to the Student Union...okay. Got it. Thanks!" She went to the nearest door leading to the courtyard. "Catch you later!" Rean waved goodbye as Morgan left the main building, her destination in mind.

* * *

"Hello, hello? Is anyone in there?" Morgan said loudly as she knocked on the door to the Engineering Building.

A young male voice from inside replied, "Yeah, the door's open!"

Recognizing the voice, Morgan couldn't help but smile to herself as she opened the door to the Engineering Building. The inside of the building was significantly smaller than any of the other structures on campus; in fact, its size was comparable to that of the first floor of the Class VII dorm. Despite this, it had everything an orbment fixing shop could need, such as a charging station and the necessary power tools. Behind a counter, an orbal clock hung on the far wall and various unfinished projects were laid out on a table.

The boy who was standing behind the counter gave a friendly smile of his own. "Well, there's a face I haven't seen in a while," he said. "How've you been, Morgan?"

"I'm all right," Morgan replied. "So this is where you are most of the time, huh, George?"

"Yup," the chubby boy confirmed. "Whenever I'm not in class or doing homework, this is where I am." He stretched out his arms. "It's not much in here, but hey, it's got everything I need. So, did you need me for something?"

"Yeah." Morgan nodded and felt her blazer pockets. "I've got a few questions regarding our orbments. How much do you know about master quartzes?"

"Master quartzes?" George stroked his chin. "Well, yeah, I've worked with them before. In fact, I helped Sara gather some of the ones you guys are using in your ARCUS units. Mind if I see yours for a sec?" Morgan retrieved her ARCUS unit from her pocket and handed it to George, who flipped the cover open. "You at least know how these things work, right?"

Morgan nodded. "The longer you use them, the stronger they get and the more powerful their arts become, right?"

"Yup, that's the gist of it." George carefully took Morgan's blue quartz from its center slot. "This little guy here's a water type, so over time you'll be able to use more water arts. I can take a closer look to tell you what arts you can use, but…" His voice trailed off. "I don't think that's what you're here for, right?"

"Yup." Morgan proceeded to talk about what occurred during the investigation, specifically about the parts where the monsters she defeated would sometimes drop sepith crystals.

"Sepith appeared from the monsters you defeated?" George asked once Morgan finished explaining. He then looked at the blue master quartz in his hand. "Oh, I see."

"You know what's going on?" Morgan questioned.

George nodded. "See, there's one thing that most people don't talk about when it comes to master quartzes, and that's that they've got enough power to change certain aspects of the orbal energy surrounding them. It's thought to be a side effect from them being different from regular quartzes, but that's why earlier orbment models didn't use them. Technology back then couldn't properly harness the power stored in these guys, not to mention there were only a few in circulation at the time, but things are different now. Now we can make the most of these master quartzes, and their power comes out as, how do I describe this...passive effects."

"So monsters dropping sepith is a passive effect?"

"Well, I'm no orbal theorist," George admitted, "but that's probably what's going on here. Most master quartzes tend to enhance the strength of orbal arts or something like that, but your quartz is somehow able to draw orbal energy from the environment and convert it into sepith. How that works, I don't know. Frankly, this is the first I've heard of something like this."

"Well, it's a valid explanation at the very least," Morgan said. "Thanks, George."

"Glad I could help." George inserted Morgan's master quartz back into its slot and handed her ARCUS unit back. "Just out of curiosity, though, how much sepith are we talking about here?"

"Why, I thought you'd never ask!" Morgan held up her index finger and took off her blazer. She then grabbed it by its bottom and started shaking it, causing a colorful cascade of sepith crystals and masses to pour from the pockets onto the counter below.

George's eyes widened with surprise as he stared at the little pile of crystals on the counter. "That's quite the amount you've got there." He then narrowed his eyes at the pile. "Hey, is that some mirage sepith you have there?"

Morgan looked closely at the pile as she put her jacket back on, noticing the crystals that were colored silver. "Yeah, it is."

George looked up to Morgan, a pleading look in his eyes. "You mind if I, uh...have some of those?" he asked.

"Not at all." Morgan gave her consent. "In fact, you can keep all of them if you want. What do you need them for?"

"Just for a request that was put in a while back. I had to put it on hold since I was a bit short on materials, but now…" He rummaged through the sepith pile and carefully took out the silver crystals, counting them one by one. "Yeah, this is perfect!" He gathered the sepith in his hands and placed them into a machine in the back. He then reached down to grab a small box and poured its contents in. After a flick of the switch and a rotating of the gears, out came a gold-colored quartz. George nodded in approval at his newest creation before realizing he left Morgan waiting and returned to where she was. "Sorry about that. Got sidetracked there for a sec."

"It's no big deal," Morgan said. "I take it I was able to help?"

"Yeah. I think it's safe to say that you saved me from some extra trouble there." George's eyes wandered to the pile of crystals left on the counter. "You're sure I can have all of this?"

"I'm sure," Morgan assured him. "I'm positive you can find more use for these than I can."

The chubby boy gave his thanks. Suddenly, his expression lit up, as if an idea just occurred to him. "Say, Morgan? Are you signed up with any clubs right now?"

"No." Given the tone in George's voice, Morgan could hazard a guess as to where this conversation was going. "Why do you ask?"

"You see, part of the reason why I'm running the Engineering Club is to help people with their orbal problems," he explained. "I have some extra help on occasion, but for most of the time, as you can see, it's basically just me. It's not too much of an issue normally, but when it comes to certain things like gathering materials, I can be a bit...short-handed."

"So you want me to help you out with that?" Morgan concluded. "Is this your way of asking me to join your one-person club?"

"Well, I won't ask you to help full-time, cause I know how your guys' curriculum is more difficult compared to the other classes', so here's what I'm thinking: whenever you have the time and if you have some sepith to spare, come check in with me. Raw sepith crystals are a resource I sometimes need for completing requests like the one you just saw and it's always a good idea to have some extra in stock. If you can help me with gathering sepith and performing some other miscellaneous tasks, I'd greatly appreciate it. And as a bonus, I'll be more than happy to help with upgrading your quartzes or even synthesizing new ones for you."

"So basically, you're offering orbal services in exchange for supplying you?" Morgan summarized.

George nodded approvingly. "That's the basic gist of it, yeah. So what do you think? Not a bad deal, eh?"

Morgan thought for a moment. "One quick question: what are these "miscellaneous tasks" that you speak of?"

George waved his hand. "Nothing too special. I'm guessing you don't have much experience with fixing orbal devices, so it'll mostly be making some deliveries, unpacking and sorting things, that kind of grunt work."

"Well, it's not like I have anything to lose…" Morgan muttered to herself. "Alright, George. You've got yourself a deal." Morgan held out her hand. George removed one of his gloves and shook her hand. "I look forward to working with you in the future."

"Likewise. Oh yeah! Since you're going to be helping me collect materials…" George went to the back of the building and rummaged through some things. He came back with a set of three small pouches attached to a leather belt. "Take these. It'll help make collecting sepith a whole lot easier."

Morgan took the gift from his hands. "Always a pleasure to have some extra pockets. And hey! They're even around the same size as my orbment! This'll come in handy." A thought then occurred to her. "But wait, how exactly am I going to collect more sepith? I mean, outside of the old schoolhouse, there aren't a whole lot of places around Trista for me to get some."

George looked surprised. "Oh, did Instructor Sara not tell you guys yet? Well, in that case, I won't spoil the surprise. Just be sure to take that bag with you wherever you go, okay?"

"Uh...if you say so." Morgan felt a bit suspicious about those last few words, but she paid it no mind for the time being. She put on the belt around her waist and fastened it, giving a little twirl once she finished doing so. With her new accessory in tow, Morgan thanked George again and made her way out of the Engineering Building to return to the dormitory.

* * *

 **Author's note: And with that, Morgan's first free day is complete! A small congratulations to those of you who managed to stick it to the end. Next chapter is going to be covering Class VII's first practical exam. It's looking to be a bit shorter than usual, so I hope you all don't mind.  
Now regarding Morgan's second orbment (this part's for those of you who are coming from the Legend of Heroes side), she uses an Enigma II like in _Ao_ and _Akatsuki no Kiseki_ , meaning it comprises of seven slots, one for the master quartz and six for the other quartzes. This is in contrast to the ARCUS's nine slots. However, for convenience's sake, she will be using the _Cold Steel_ versions of the quartzes as opposed to the versions present in those other games, cause the effects for some of these quartzes differ too much for me to keep track. The only exception to this is her master quartz, which is the Pixie quartz from _Akatsuki_. However, since this quartz hasn't made an appearance in the main series as of this writing, I decided to change its base effect in that game from increased ATS to keep it from being another Mistral quartz (which has the same effect in _Cold Steel_ ). Instead, it'll have the ability to retain some of the orbal energy from the last art that was cast, thus reducing the casting time for the next orbal art, so it functions as a pseudo-Cast quartz. The difference is that amount of orbal energy retained is about 20% of what is needed to cast the art, which means that more powerful arts will retain more energy than lower-level arts, thus allowing a lower-level art to be cast much more quickly. The downside is that it only works when casting arts of the same element (i.e. wind), so if Morgan were to cast a fire art with her orbment, she'd have to start over from scratch.  
Also, as for the reason why I chose the Scepter quartz to be Morgan's master quartz for her ARCUS? 1) It's the only other master quartz in the game that starts at Level 1, and 2) it gives Morgan a club to join and an excuse to interact with George and some of the second-years (this'll be important for later).**

 **Whew! Hope I didn't keep the rest of you bored with all of that. Anyways, here's one last segment to end this chapter. See you next time!**

* * *

"Whew, what a day!" Morgan remarked. Having just finished taking a shower, she was ruffling her hair with a towel and was dressed in her night clothes. The sky outside her window was now a dark black in contrast to the bright blue earlier in the day.

As she dried her hair, Morgan recounted the events of her first free day. It certainly wasn't the way she expected things to go, what with the investigation and all, but overall she felt that she was very productive. She did her homework, helped solve a local problem, and was able to get closer with some of her classmates by fighting alongside them. She even got something of a part-time job at the Engineering Club and received a little gift to boot.

Morgan folded her towel and placed it on top of her drawer to dry. She then looked at the clock on her nightstand. It read 8:59, almost nearing 9:00.

'I wonder if I should listen to something while I get my things ready for tomorrow…' She went over to her orbal radio, a gift from one of her acquaintances in Heimdallr, and turned it on. She cycled through several channels until she came to the channel for Radio Trista, where she was stopped by the sound of a female voice.

"Don't touch that dial, listeners," said the lady over the radio. "You've found the right place to be tonight." For some reason, Morgan found herself drawing her hand away from the radio dial as she heard those words. "It's time for the start of a brand new program here on Radio Trista, coming at you promptly every Sunday! I call it 'Abend Time,' after the word for 'evening.'"

Morgan smirked. 'That's a little cliched…' she couldn't help but think.

"Might be a little cliched," the lady over the radio admitted, "but sometimes, simple is best, right? Cliches are cliches for a reason, after all!"

Feeling a little spooked at the prospect of a radio host reading her mind, she quickly turned off her orbal radio.

"On second thought, I think I'll call it a night," Morgan decided.


	6. April 21st - Practical Exam

Breakfast that morning consisted of some egg omelettes cooked by Elliot and Emma.

"These are actually pretty good!" remarked Rean.

"They feel really soft and fluffy, too!" said Morgan.

Elliot gave a nervous laugh. "I helped around the kitchen a little bit back home. Must have picked up a few things." He then turned to his partner chef, who was preparing some herb tea for everyone. "Emma was the one who got the idea for some of the seasonings, though."

Emma perked up when she heard her name. "Oh, come now! The only reason they came out as nicely as they did was because you knew when it was the right time to flip them!" Her compliment caused Elliot to blush a little. Emma then brought over a pot of tea to the dining table. "I'm not quite sure if this tea will live up to all of your expectations, but I can assure you I didn't burn it, so at least it's an improvement from last week's."

Machias, the chef in charge of last week's tea, grumbled. "I thought we agreed to never speak of that again…" The class president quickly apologized to her vice president. Jusis tried very hard not to manage a smirk as he poured some tea for himself.

Gaius, Machias's partner for last week, chuckled. "Each person has their own strengths and weaknesses. In hindsight, it was a bit foolish of me to suggest that we learn how to make each other's specialty drinks. At least now we know who has the most trouble making what."

"Oooh! Something smells good!" said a voice from the first floor lobby. Everyone turned to greet the two girls who had just arrived to the breakfast table.

Emma waved hello to her female friends. "Good morning, Alisa and Laura!" She then looked around the pair to catch a glimpse of the silver-haired girl who was following them. "And good morning to you too, Fie! Did you get enough sleep last night?"

"Pretty much," Fie replied with a yawn. "I have to, if I want to do well on this practical exam."

"I do wonder what this practical exam will entail," Laura wondered aloud. "The instructor only said to 'Bring your weapons and your ARCUS units.'"

"She left early, too, from the looks of it," Rean noted, looking at the door to their instructor's room. "I guess we'll just have to wait and see how things turn out."

The anticipation from such an ominous event silenced Class VII from any further discussion for the remainder of breakfast.

* * *

"Okay! Let's get your practical exam started, shall we?"

Several hours had passed and now it was time for Class VII's first practical exam. Instructor Sara stood in front of her students in the middle of the academy field.

"To be completely clear from the outset, this exam is about more than just testing your physical strength and stamina," she explained. "Rather, it's designed to hone in on how capable you are of making strategic combat decisions on the fly. Defeating your opponent quickly is a good thing, certainly, but it won't be enough to score you high marks here!"

'So we'll have to use our heads for this one…' Morgan thought. Some of the other students mumbled words amongst themselves.

"I think a good example of what I mean is in order." She looked at four students from among the small crowd. "Rean, Elliot, Gaius, and Morgan? You're up first. Please step forward. The rest of you, step back a bit."

The class did as they were told, with the students whose names were called stepping forward and the rest stepping back. Once they were all situated amongst themselves, Instructor Sara snapped her fingers. Abruptly, an odd-looking device phased into existence. It looked like a metal pole with two "arms" attached to its head, but it was floating and, more importantly, appeared mechanical. It was nothing the rest of the class had ever seen before.

"Wh-what's that?!" Rean exclaimed, asking the question that was on every students' mind.

Elliot jumped back. "A-A monster?!" he stammered.

Gaius shook his head. "No… I'm not sensing any life coming from it at all."

"That's right," Instructor Sara said. "Think of it like a scarecrow. Only, it's a moving scarecrow...I guess." She shrugged her shoulders. "Either way, it's not alive. I've set its parameters fairly high, though, so it IS formidable. But if you give it your all, I'm confident you can beat it...probably." She gave a playful smirk at the four students in the front. "Make good use of your ARCUS' combat link abilities, for example, and I'll bet it'll be a piece of cake! Hint, hint."

The four students assembled finally pieced everything together.

"So that's what you're playing at…" Rean muttered.

Morgan nodded. "If that's the case, then it makes sense why she'd want us to go first." She then looked to her other teammates. "So, how do you guys want to do this?"

"Let's link up just like in the old schoolhouse, you with me and Elliot with Gaius," Rean said as he and the other boys drew their weapons. "Gaius and I can stagger that...scarecrow and then the two of you can hop in. We'll keep it like that and then switch teammates when necessary."

"Sounds like a plan." Morgan nodded her head as she readied her weapon. The other two boys nodded as well.

Instructor Sara grinned. "I take it you're all ready? Then show the rest of the class how it's done!" She moved backwards a few steps. "Begin!"

The scarecrow sparked to life and gave a quick spin as two pairs of ARCUS links were formed. The students spread out with their pairings just as they did against the giant monster in the old schoolhouse. The scarecrow set its sights on Morgan first, being the closest one to it, and moved to attack her with a backwards somersault using its pole. Morgan successfully guarded herself against the attack, but the force from the blow knocked her back a fair distance. The scarecrow then rushed in to deliver another attack, but this time Morgan was prepared, dodging to the side instead of blocking the attack. As the scarecrow was repositioning itself after missing, Morgan changed her weapon into its two-handed form and stabbed at it from a distance. The suddenness from the counterattack staggered the scarecrow slightly, allowing Rean to follow up from behind with an attack of his own before backing out. As the machine was about to give chase, it was hit by an orb of water and a gust of compressed air, courtesy of Elliot and Gaius, respectively, using their orbments.

Determining that the two of them were now the bigger threats, the scarecrow revealed some compartments hidden in the space between its arms and head and fired two blue spheres at Elliot and Gaius. Upon colliding with the ground, the spheres detonated and caused a small explosion, forcing the pair to separate to escape the full impact of the blast. The scarecrow began to move towards Elliot, who attempted to swat the enemy away by firing several translucent bubbles. Unlike the monster in the old schoolhouse, however, the scarecrow didn't seem to be fazed by the attack one bit. However, this brief diversion of the scarecrow's attention from them gave Rean and Morgan enough time to cast orbal arts of their own. As before, Morgan released her art followed by Rean, a volley of water and a bolt of fire each finding their mark. This also allowed Gaius to ready his own attack, spinning his spear above his head furiously before sending a wind projectile towards the machine, damaging it.

Noticing that the scarecrow was stunned momentarily, Morgan decided it was time to switch up their team composition. She looked to Rean for a brief moment, who nodded at her. Thanks to the ARCUS' links, the two were able to understand each other's intentions clearly.

"Guys! Time to switch!" Morgan called to her other teammates. Rean severed the link between the two of them and rushed to Gaius's side. Recognizing the situation, Elliot and Gaius quickly severed their ARCUS link to pair up with another teammate. Two ARCUS links were created just as easily as they had been broken, with one link between Rean and Gaius and the other between Morgan and Elliot.

Gaius attacked first, using the range of his spear to further harass the scarecrow from a safe distance. Nodding to his new partner, Rean assisted by delivering several consecutive slashes from his sword. Morgan and Elliot meanwhile were concentrating in casting arts. Together, they unleashed two Aqua Bleed spells onto the scarecrow, with both arts succeeding in hitting it. In what appeared to be a last ditch attempt to regain control of the fight, the scarecrow began vibrating in place. Soon after, an orbal aura started glowing around it, signifying that it was about to cast an art.

Rean immediately noticed this. "Oh no you don't!" He sheathed his sword momentarily and closed his eyes. Time seemed to slow as he maintained his state of focus. "Fourth Form: Autumn Leaf Cutter!" As he announced his attack, he opened his eyes and dashed forward quickly. With a single stroke, he sliced the scarecrow with such force its casting process was interrupted. Rean then called to his partner. "Now's your chance!"

"All right!" Gaius continued the assault, delivering a series of stabs and strikes with his spear. As he about to finish his assist, he called out to the other pair of students. "Can you handle this?"

Though they were not directly linked together, Morgan understood all too well what he meant. Looking to the orbal staff user beside her, who nodded in agreement, she charged to engage the scarecrow.

Gaius spun his spear around his head again, but instead of shooting a wind projectile, he swung his spear diagonally upwards, using the momentum to increase the force of his attack and staggering the machine. As he leapt backwards, Morgan jumped forwards to deliver an attack of her own, first striking with her two-handed weapon before reverting it to its one-handed form mid-swing and slashing several more times. Finally, she twirled to the side of the scarecrow, ready to perform a two-handed swing, but not before signaling to her teammate. "All yours!"

"Right!" As Morgan swung her axe and stepped out of the way, Elliot let loose a group of glowing bubbles from his orbal staff that exploded upon contact with the scarecrow. With that last linked attack, the machine floated to the ground and powered down.

Elliot was panting nervously. "Did...did that do it?"

Morgan kept her weapon steady in her hands. "I think so." She looked to their instructor for confirmation, who was smiling and nodding in approval. Breathing a sigh of relief, she flipped her weapon with her fingers until she was holding it in a reverse grip.

Their other two teammates put away their own weapons. "We won," Gaius spoke, sounding relieved.

"Don't know how, though…" Elliot was still panting from that last exchange.

"Whatever it was, we did the right thing," Rean assured him. "That last attack was really something."

Morgan smirked at Elliot. "And you said you still needed to familiarize yourself with that orbal staff."

The red-haired teen scratched his cheek with his finger. "Well, there's always room for improvement, as they say…"

Instructor Sara, meanwhile, was crouching by the scarecrow to make sure it wasn't too damaged. Seeing that it was still in good condition, she walked to the group of four and started applauding. "Not bad! Not bad at all! Excellent use of combat links, and bonus points for choosing to switch up your pairs when it was necessary. You four must've been really in sync, cause that last exchange counted as three consecutive link attacks! That's more than enough to give you an 'A' for this exam." She gave a small wink. "Seems like the practice you got in the old schoolhouse really paid off!"

Some of the other students in Class VII (Morgan was so focused on the fight that she had completely forgotten they were there) started mumbling amongst themselves, wondering what the four of them did at the old schoolhouse to become so accustomed to using combat links. Rean gave a small chuckle in response. "It just may have, Instructor."

Instructor Sara motioned for the first group to go sit down and enjoy a well-earned rest. "Anyways, that's pretty much the gist of how this practical exam will play out," she addressed to the rest of the class. "Your objective is to land as many attacks using your combat links as you can with the members of your group. I know that the odds aren't exactly in your guys' favor seeing as the first group had some extra practice, but don't let that get you down. The demonstration you just saw from the first group is just a fraction of the potential you and your ARCUS units have. Changing your team formation as well as who is linked up to who is all part of adapting to the flow of battle; that's precisely what I mean when I said that this exam will test how capable you are of making strategic combat decisions on the fly.

"On that note, Laura, Emma, and Jusis? You'll be the second group. Please come forward."

The three named students stepped forward, ready to commence their part of the practical exam.

* * *

After the last two groups had their turn against the scarecrow, Class VII's first practical exam came to an end. Though all of the groups were able to attain high marks, it was still clear that the first group was ahead of the others in terms of using combat links smoothly and efficiently amongst every member of their group.

"Now as you might recall the day before your free day," Instructor Sara addressed to the tired students, "I mentioned that I had an important announcement to make after your practical exam was over regarding a major part of Class VII's curriculum that wasn't mentioned yet. Well, now it's after your practical exam, so…" She paused briefly to look at the expectant faces of her students. "Are you all ready to hear what it is?" She made an aside glance at Rean. "Does anyone want to take a guess?" she added.

The collection of teens remained silent. Morgan couldn't help but think that the thought on some of their minds was 'Just get to the point already…'

Their female instructor apparently noticed this as well and relented. "Alright, I'll come clean. The special task you're about to be assigned is none other than…" Her voice trailed off, as if she was expecting a drumroll to play at that moment. She then produced a pile of ten sheets of paper from inside her jacket. "A field study!" She ruffled the papers loudly in the place of a cymbal.

The students went from silent to confused. "...Field study?" Emma asked to make sure.

"I don't like the sound of this one bit…" Machias muttered to himself.

"You'll be split into two groups, A and B, and each sent to a different location," Instructor Sara explained. "And while you're there, you'll be given a number of tasks to complete. Doesn't that sound like fun?"

Morgan bit her tongue to keep herself from saying the word "No" as a joke.

"We only just got to the academy, and we're already being sent somewhere else?" Elliot questioned.

"Will you not be coming with us, Instructor?" Rean asked.

Their instructor waved her free hand like she was swatting a fly. "Oh, of course not! It'd be much too easy for you if I were there to bail you out every time the waters of life came seeping in. You've got to be cruel to be kind, and all that!"

Seeing their eccentric instructor attempt to incorporate philosophical metaphors like a civilized adult made Class VII collectively sweatdrop.

"Instructor Valestein," Jusis spoke. "Where, exactly, will we be going? And when?"

"Ah, yes! About that…" Their instructor waved the pile of papers in her hand. "Each of you, please come forward and take one of these to see how the groups have been divided and where each is being sent."

The students filed together in a line to retrieve a sheet of paper. Each sheet, as Instructor Sara said, listed the members of each group and their respective destinations. The information printed is as follows:

 **[Field Study: April]**

 **Group A: Rean, Alisa, Laura, Gaius, Morgan  
** **(Study Location: Celdic, the Market Town)**

 **Group B: Emma, Elliot, Machias, Jusis, Fie  
** **(Study Location: Parm, the Spinning Town)**

"Well, these are certainly some...interesting groupings," Laura commented.

"Celdic and Parm…" Gaius said, trying to divert the subject away from the groups for the time being. "Are they both in Erebonia?"

"Y-Yeah," Elliot stammered. "Celdic's a market town on the east side of the Empire…"

"And Parm is situated in the deep south," Emma finished her fellow orbal staff user's sentence. "Parm is known for its spinners while Celdic is known for its Grand Market."

"All that way?" Fie mumbled to herself. "How irritating…"

Machias let out an irate breath, as if he was a few hairs away from fuming. "I-I'm less worried about where we're going than the utter lack of sense that went into these groupings!"

For once, Jusis seemed to agree with Machias, eliciting a grumble of his own. "Unbelievable…"

Instructor Sara showed no signs of faltering. "You'll be leaving this weekend and will be out in the field in two days' time," she told Class VII. "Your means of reaching your respective locations will, of course, be by train, so do make sure you're thoroughly prepared, rested, and rearing to go before the big day!"

The school bell then rung behind them, indicating that it was the end of the period. Instructor Sara clapped her hands together. "And on that note, class dismissed!"

* * *

"Are you two going to be okay?" Morgan asked Emma and Fie. Currently, the girls of Class VII were eating dinner together at Kirsche's.

"Nope," Fie replied. Even when she said this, her face remained as stoic as could be. "We're done for."

The class president laughed nervously into her soup. "While I'd like to sound positive, I do think that the odds are a bit...stacked against us."

"And we're being graded on these too…" Alisa worried. She grumbled as she took a bite out of her sandwich. "That's one more thing to add to our list of worries…"

"I'm betting 100 mira that Group B will get an 'E'," Fie said, waving a fry in her fingers. "Any takers?"

"Now, now. Try and think positively," Laura suggested as she calmly took a sip of tea. "If you keep worrying about the things you can't do, then you risk forgetting the things that you can do."

Fie mumbled something as she ate her fry. Probably a retort along the lines of, "Easy for you to say."

"You guys have Elliot with you, so at least that's something," Morgan reasoned as she ate another slice of pizza. "He doesn't have the biggest self-confidence, but you can rely on him when it counts. Take it from me."

"That's reassuring to hear," Emma said. "You know, this could be the perfect thing to discuss with him while we're on cooking duty this week. I'll just have to find an excuse to make breakfast again."

"Hip hip hooraaay," Fie mumbled mid-chew. "More omelettes."

"Moving the subject away from the groups for the moment," Laura spoke, "I can't deny that I'm interested in seeing some of these destinations in person. Truth be told, I wish I could be in Group B so I can see Parm for myself."

"Oh?" Emma sounded intrigued. "Is it because of the spinners?"

"Well, there is that…" Laura answered hesitantly. "However, the main reason is because Parm is home to a branch of the Vander school. As a sword user myself, I've always wanted to see practitioners of the Vander style train firsthand." She sighed into her tea. "But alas, perhaps it wasn't meant to be this time."

Morgan nodded in understanding. "I guess that makes sense. Friendly competition between different schools can help push everyone to get better, after all." As she took a bite from the last slice of her pizza, she noticed that Laura was staring at her. "Ish somethin' wrong?"

Laura noticed herself and shook her said. "No, it's nothing."

Shrugging her shoulders, Morgan wolfed down the rest of her pizza slice.

Alisa looked at her with subtle amazement. "I still can't believe you can finish an entire pizza by yourself."

Morgan rubbed her nose. "Heh, I've faced down tougher foes!" she boasted. A second later, she burped, ruining her small moment of glory. The other girls couldn't help but let out laughs of varying degrees, much to Morgan's chagrin. Even Fie let out a small smirk.

Morgan scoffed. "Well, excuuuuuse me!"

Little else of note occurred that evening.

* * *

 **Author's note: Time for another notable change in the narrative, that change being that Gaius will be traveling with Group A. In the original game, Group A consisted of Rean, Alisa, Elliot, and Laura.  
As forewarned in the previous chapter, this chapter was a bit of a short one, so I hope those of you who read to the end didn't mind. Just in time, too, because school is about to begin for me IRL. I've been trying to push for one chapter a week (a goal that has been admittedly rather infrequent), but I'm unsure if I'll be able to keep it up. If it comes to infrequent updates, I'll let you all know in advance.  
Anyways, it's Labor Day weekend in America as of the time of this writing, so happy Labor Day to all you U.S. readers! And to any non-U.S. readers, hope you all have a great weekend regardless! ****(^o^)v**


	7. April 24th - Field Study Day 1, Pt 1

Morgan had trouble sleeping the night before the field study. Maybe it was because she was excited at the prospect of visiting a new location for a few days. Or maybe it was because she was worried about what she and her classmates would have to do once they got there. Or maybe it was because she had a little too much coffee the previous day when she was studying. Regardless, when she woke up at 6:04 that morning, she wasn't surprised to find that she wasn't feeling quite as rested as she should have been. That didn't bother her too much, though; if she needed some extra sleep, she could always sleep on the train ride over to Celdic. At any rate, she had little else to do at the moment, so Morgan got out of bed and looked over the things that she would be bringing along for the trip.

"ARCUS?" Morgan looked to the ARCUS unit on her desk. "Check. Weapon case with weapon?" She retrieved her lute case from the floor and opened it, finding her weapon inside. "Check. Pouch for sepith…" She pointed to the belt with three pouches George gave her that was resting on the chair. "Check. Emergency orbment…" She opened one of the pouches to reveal her personal orbment already inside it. "Check." Morgan was initially hesitant on bringing it along, since it was technically a "cheat item," but this was her first ever field study, so she had every right to be a little bit cautious. In the best case scenario, she wouldn't have to use it at all, but at the very least it was reassuring to have.

With all of her stuff sorted out, Morgan carried on with her daily routine, washing her face, brushing her teeth, and changing into her school uniform. Once finished, she packed a spare change of clothes and her toiletries into her lute case alongside her weapon. She looked to the clock on her nightstand, which now read 6:24.

"Kirsche's opens in a little bit, right?" Morgan said to herself, remembering that the cafe opened early on the weekends. "I'll think I'll get something to drink." Fastening her pouch belt around her waist and gathering her belongings, she exited her room and closed the door gently behind her. The third floor was quiet, as was the rest of the dorm, so Morgan assumed that most of her classmates were either still asleep or already out and about. Though the prankster inside her would have liked to make some large racket to see everyone's reactions, she figured it was in her best interests to keep things quiet for the time being. Thus, she tiptoed her way down the stairs and out of the dorm.

* * *

"You're awfully early today!" Fred remarked, pleasantly surprised that the first customer of the day was a student he knew.

Morgan shrugged her shoulders. "Eh, some things came up. Had to wake up early." She sat at the bar counter and put her lute case beside her chair. "I'll take a coffee, house blend."

"Comin' right up." The orange-haired barista immediately began going to work. "So what's with the lute case you got there?" Fred asked as he brewed some coffee. "You headin' someplace today?"

"Something like that," Morgan responded, nodding her head. "I guess you could call it a little vacation."

"A vacation!" Fred chuckled. "At this time of year? At this time of day? In this part of the empire? There's no need to lie; you're goin' with the rest of your class on a field study, aren'tcha?"

Morgan was surprised. "How did you know about that?"

"The Student Council told us all about it, and when I say Student Council, I mean little Towa." Fred poured some coffee from a pot into a small mug. "Most of the shops'll open earlier on the days you're heading out so you could stock up on supplies and all that. Course, it's not a problem for us, 'cause we're already open this early in the first place." He placed the mug and pot before Morgan. "The Student Council already helped us a bunch, so think of this as our way of repayin' 'em."

Morgan took a sip of coffee. "I'll have to remind myself to thank Towa later."

"So where you guys headin' this month?" Fred asked.

As Morgan was about to respond, she heard the door to the cafe open behind her. "Well, I'll be! Looks like I'm not the first one here this time!" a young lady's voice said. Morgan looked behind her to see a middle-aged woman with waist-length hair wearing red glasses and a white cap walking to the bar counter.

Fred waved at the woman, the same way he would when greeting a familiar customer. "If it ain't Misty! Looks like you made it through another all-nighter!"

The woman named Misty let out a small groan. "Sometimes I feel Michael has a little TOO much fun working me to the bone…" As Misty sat down next to her, Morgan couldn't help but feel that she had heard this woman's voice somewhere before.

"That attitude's proof that he thinks highly of you!" Fred assured her. "Now let's get you started on something to drink, eh? You want the regular blend or the work blend?"

"I've got another gig later on today, so the work blend, please."

Fred nodded and retrieved some tea leaves. "By the way, I tuned in to your show last weekend!" he added. "You were great, as usual!"

Misty took off her hat and set it on the counter next to her. "That's nice of you to say. It makes all of the backstage work worth it."

"Oh?" Morgan's interest was piqued. "You do a show? What kind?"

Misty turned to face her. Her eyes were colored a subdued violet. "I do a little something for Radio Trista. Hm?" Misty narrowed her eyes. "That uniform…" She scanned her eyes up and down, making Morgan feel a little anxious. "You wouldn't happen to be one of the Class VII students from Thors, would you?"

"Uh...yes, I am."

"Heh, I knew it!" Misty's face broke into a friendly smile. "Ever since word of Thors' dashing guys and girls in red got out, you've been one of the rising topics at our radio station. In fact, just last week, my manager met one of you personally and he couldn't stop talking about you! Although, the person he mentioned was a guy, so you're probably not the same person." Morgan figured that was probably Rean when he was doing tasks for the Student Council. "So…" Misty continued. "Mind if I ask for your name?"

"Morgan. Morgan Daraen. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Misty." She held out her hand.

"The pleasure's all mine. And please, just call me Misty." The bespectacled woman retained her friendly demeanor as she reached to shake Morgan's hand, but as soon as she made contact with the teen's fingers, Misty grimaced and jerked her hand back.

"Is something wrong?" Morgan asked.

Misty paused to look at Morgan for a moment, then shook her head. "Oh my...I think I must be seeing things. Maybe I stayed up too long. Don't worry about it." She reached to grab Morgan's hand again, this time completing the handshake. Fred set a pot and a cup of tea in front of Misty. "Ah, right on time." After thanking the barista, she took a sip of her drink.

"Why does it smell like breath mints?" Morgan asked, noticing the smell.

Misty smiled, a contrast to the grimace she showed a moment earlier. "Because it's peppermint tea. I actually prefer lavender myself, but peppermint is better for your throat, or so they say. It helps for when you have to do lots of voice work."

"You mentioned doing a radio show," Morgan recalled. "I have an orbal radio in my dorm room. Mind telling me the time slot? I'd like to be able to catch it if I could."

Misty adjusted her glasses by the corner and let out a small, all-knowing laugh. "You want to know, don't you? I suppose I could do a little bit of advertising…" She cleared her throat and spoke in her best anchorwoman voice. "Coming at you live from Radio Trista is a brand new program brought to you by yours truly, Misty! Make sure to tune in every Sunday at 9 P.M. for the latest in recent topics, trends, or whatever at 'Abend Time!' Please look forward to it!"

"Abend Time?" Morgan worded. "'Abend' is another word for 'evening', right? That's a little cli...ched…" Suddenly, Morgan realized why Misty's voice sounded so familiar; she was the lady she listened to last Sunday before she turned off her radio. Upon putting all the pieces together, Morgan let out a cry that made the bespectacled woman nearly jump out of her seat. "You're that lady!"

Misty hastily recomposed herself and readjusted her glasses. "I take it you've listened to me before?"

"Well, not exactly…" Feeling slightly embarrassed, the teen recounted her experience with Abend Time to the radio host and how what should have been a relaxing evening listening to a new radio program came to an abrupt end.

At the end of the story, Misty couldn't help but snort and laugh. "I'm sorry that first impression went so badly, but I assure you, I don't have the ability to read minds over the radio. If I could, my ratings would be higher than they are now!"

Morgan pinched the bridge of her nose, feeling a bit more embarrassed than before. "Yeah, I should've known better. That was my mistake."

"Well, no point in worrying about it now. Water under the bridge, right? Just start things over tomorrow!" Misty poured some more tea into her cup. "Maybe I could even squeeze this story in somehow…"

Morgan laughed nervously into her coffee. "I'll definitely tune in from now on, though I'm not sure about this week. Our class is going out of town this weekend for a field study, so I'm not sure when we'll be able to return…"

"A field study?" That caught Misty's attention. Her violet eyes then shifted towards Morgan's lute case. "Ah, so that's why you've got that with you."

Morgan nodded, impressed that Misty was able to piece together the evidence so quickly. 'It must be an essential part of the trade,' she figured.

"So where are you guys heading?" Misty asked. "If you don't mind me asking, that is."

"Well, our class got divided into two groups." Morgan wondered if she should be sharing this information with a stranger, but since Misty was working for Radio Trista, and Radio Trista was already acquainted with Class VII, she figured it couldn't be that bad… "My group is heading to Celdic."

"Celdic, hm? Why, that sounds like it'll be a fun trip." Misty sighed wistfully. "Visiting the Grand Market, taking a walk through Lunaria Nature Park, and ending the day with a swig of Celdic's famous beer...that sounds like the perfect way to spend a weekend!" She then caught Fred giving her the stink eye. "Sorry, I guess I shouldn't be talking about booze when you're still a student, should I?"

"It's fine." Morgan giggled. "My homeroom teacher happens to be a big fan of beer herself."

"Oh, is she?" Misty raised an eyebrow. "It's such a shame that I'm usually booked in the evenings when school is out, otherwise I'd love to crack open a cold one with her!" Her expression then turned serious as she took another sip of tea. "Still, Celdic...I've heard that there are some pretty unsavory things going on there recently. Most of it boils down to baseless rumors, but you and your class should still be careful over there. With the way the provincial army's been acting lately, I wouldn't be surprised if you came across a conflict or two there."

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind, thanks. Although, if you don't mind me asking…" Morgan lowered her voice. "What kind of conflicts are we talking about here?"

Misty looked to her right and left, confirming that no one else had entered the cafe since she arrived. Fred, meanwhile, had gone to wipe some of the tables. The bespectacled woman then leaned in close. Despite having drunk peppermint tea, Morgan could detect the smell of lavender coming off from her as well. "This is off the record from here on out," Misty whispered, "but it's mostly minor squabbles over property taxes and market goods. Nothing too big on its own, but one of my colleagues said that it's been happening a lot lately, and if too many minor things start adding up…"

"It's only a matter of time before we see something major, right?" Morgan finished the sentence in a hushed voice. Misty nodded her head in confirmation.

'Yeah, that's definitely something worth watching out for,' the teen decided. "Are you sure it's okay for me to know this?" she asked Misty.

The bespectacled woman winked. "Think of it as my way of repaying the offer for being able to meet one of the students of Class VII. Again, there's no evidence to support or disprove it, so take it however you like."

At that moment, Morgan's ARCUS started ringing, startling both the women seated at the bar counter. Taking out her orbment, Morgan flipped open the cover and whispered, "Hello?"

"WHERE ARE YOU?!" yelled Alisa's voice over the ARCUS. "It's already past 7:00 and the train's almost here!"

"Wait, it is?" Morgan looked to the clock hanging on the back wall, which confirmed that it was indeed past 7:00. Morgan cursed under her breath. "I'll be there in a minute. Did you guys get our tickets yet?"

"YES! Just...get over here RIGHT THIS INSTANT!" The line hung up.

Morgan looked to Misty apologetically. "It's been lovely talking, but I think I need to head out now."

"No worries." Misty smiled, nodding understandingly.

Not wanting to waste the rest of her coffee, she took the pot, removed the lid, and drunk the rest of its contents that way. After reeling back a bit from taking in too much bitter liquid at once, Morgan hastily fished out some mira and set it on the counter. "Fred! I'm putting some mira here for you! Keep the change!"

Fred called from the other side of the room. "Sure thing! Now hurry up and get goin'!"

Morgan grabbed her lute case and dashed out of the cafe to the train station.

As the door closed behind her, Misty chuckled to herself. "She's an interesting one, isn't she?" She took off her glasses and set them next to her cap before gazing at her right hand, the one that shook the black-haired teen's hand. "Still, I can't help but think that she felt...different, somehow."

"You mean Morgan?" Fred had come to pick up the mira and overheard Misty's comment. "Yeah, she's a bit on the peculiar side, but she means well! Likes helping people and eating pizza with extra meat!"

"Yes…" Misty closed her eyes and took another sip of peppermint tea. The image of the girl's awkward yet carefree smile despite the scar that ran up her face lingered for a moment in her mind. "I suppose that must be it…"

* * *

Needless to say, Alisa was a little more than livid when Morgan ran onto the train just as the doors were about to close.

"Care to remind me who was it that suggested we all meet in front of the station at 7:00 A.M. sharp?" The light from the streaming from the windows combined with Alisa's red irises almost made it seem like her eyes were on fire.

Morgan whimpered. She could feel the blonde teen's eyes boring holes into her. "Look, I said I was sorry, alright?"

Rean looked on from the seat across from them with sympathy, having also known what it felt like to get on Alisa's bad side. "L-let's just be glad that we left on time…"

"I concur." Gaius, who was seated next to Rean, remained as calm as ever. "We're all here now, and that's what matters."

"Personally, I'm looking forward to learning the true nature of our excursion." Laura, who was seated across from Rean, tried to change the subject of the conversation. "Given how our instructor said it was a part of our curriculum, I assume whatever she has planned won't be easy."

"Yeah, if it were, it'd hardly be worth the trip." Rean nodded his head in agreement. "Well, we'll find our answer when we get there. We're supposed to drop by the inn as soon as we arrive. There should be an envelope waiting for us with details on our mission."

Alisa finally took a moment to stop nagging Morgan, who silently breathed a sigh of relief. "Say, this has been on my mind for a while now, but this whole trip seems eerily well-planned out, don't you think? Even the station employees knew we were coming…"

"That just goes to show how high the academy's expectations are for all of you!"

The students all turned to the direction of the voice and were pleasantly surprised to find their homeroom teacher walking towards them.

"...I was wondering why you were nowhere to be seen this morning," Laura mused as Instructor Sara stopped in front of them.

"Looks like Group A's all present and accounted for. Good, good." She nodded in approval. "I heard there was a little bit of a panic when someone decided to show up right as the train was about to leave, but all's well that ends well, right?"

Morgan hung her head. "Can we just...drop that, please?"

"So...umm...what brings you here, Instructor?" Rean asked. "I thought you were planning on staying back at the academy?" It was true; Sara had made it clear ever since the practical exam on Wednesday that she wouldn't do anything to intrude on Class VII's activities during their field study.

"Well, plans change," their instructor replied. "Considering this is your first time out in the field, I assumed you'd be positively lost without me! I won't stay with you all the way, though; I'll just stick around until you've finished checking in at the hotel."

"Th-thanks, I guess. But…" Alisa's voice trailed off as she stared out the window.

"Yeah, you're thinking about Group B, right?" Morgan wondered how Emma, Fie, and Elliot were handling things on their end.

"Would it not have been better for you to accompany the others?" the last girl of the group asked.

"Aww, but they'd be a nightmare to deal with…" Instructor Sara pouted. "I may still have to go to them, though, if those two get out of control. Buuuut…" She shrugged her shoulders. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it!"

Rean, Morgan, and Alisa collectively facepalmed while Gaius and Laura merely let out two dejected sighs. The fact that their instructor readily admitted Group B's faults and yet still didn't take any extra steps to resolve any issues only hampered their perception of her reliability. Instructor Sara remained unbothered by this and took a seat in the train booth next to the students. "Anyway, don't pay me any mind! You five feel free to keep talking. I didn't get any sleep last night, so I'm just going to take a little nap right here." With that, she closed her eyes and immediately began snoring.

Laura shook her head in disbelief. "Incredible…"

"I don't think I've ever seen someone less inclined to be an educator than her," Alisa retorted.

"M-maybe we're better off just letting her sleep…" Rean suggested. "Although, one of us should wake her up once we get to Celdic."

"We've got less than an hour until we arrive," Gaius noted. "Before that, is it possible for me to ask a request from all of you?"

His classmates all turned to him in mild surprise. With how dependable Gaius had proven himself to be, it was a bit odd to see him be the one to ask for requests from others instead of the other way around.

"As you know, I'm someone who spent a majority of his life in the highlands," Gaius began. "Inevitably, this means that I've only heard of the empire's cities through word of mouth and dots on a map. With that said, these field studies present me a unique opportunity to learn more about the empire's locations firsthand. Through that, I was hoping that since you've all been living here far longer than I have, you can tell me more about each of these locations."

"So basically, you just want us to tell you what we know about our field study locations?" Morgan summarized.

"If that's possible, then I'd greatly appreciate it." Gaius bowed his head slightly.

"Well, it can't hurt to go over what we know before we get there," Alisa said. "Let's see, our destination is Celdic, so here's what I've heard…"

The rest of Group A began to share what they knew about Celdic with Gaius, the topics ranging from the town's location to its reputation as a trading town to its standout attractions such as the Grand Market and its granaries. Morgan also relayed some of the information she heard from Misty regarding the disputes over property taxes, though for the sake of right to privacy, she insisted on keeping her source anonymous. Despite the serious turn at the end of the discussion, talking about the location got the students excited about their field study to the point where they had to remind themselves that they weren't going there for vacation.

"Oh, yeah! I brought these along with me." After the discussion roughly came to an end, Rean reached into his pants pocket and brought out a packaged deck of cards. The small box had the words "BLADE" written on it.

"Oh? You have one as well?" Laura reached into her blazer and brought out the same deck of cards. "I procured it this morning on a whim. Truth be told, it was the name and design of the packaging that won me over. Aside from that, I know little else of the game."

"I got this from the pawn shop in Trista last week," Rean said. "The rules aren't that complicated, so I don't think anyone here will have any trouble picking it up." He looked at his other classmates. "So how about it?"

"Sounds like a good way to pass the time," replied Alisa.

"I'm always ready to try something new," Gaius responded.

"Then let's give it a try." Morgan rubbed her hands together. "Rean, if you would do the honors of teaching us…"

And so, Rean went over the rules of the game and played a practice round with Laura as an example. As he had predicted, everyone understood the basics of the game within a few rounds and it wasn't before long that they used the extra deck to get two games going on at once. Time seemed to fly by as the students enjoyed playing amongst themselves, not having to worry about what lay ahead of them...

* * *

"Divine Bolt!" Laura placed down a 'Bolt' card, rendering Morgan's last card null.

"You'll pay for that!" Morgan looked at the last two cards in her hand. "How will you answer to this?" She placed down a '1', allowing the card that Laura struck down moments ago a second chance at life.

Laura's answer was to play her final card and say it's name with confidence. "Mirror!" This card switched the side of cards on the field, meaning that Laura's cards were now Morgan's and vice versa.

That confidence began to dwindle however as a sly grin appeared on Morgan's face. "Yeah...not happening." She played her last card, which was another 'Mirror' card. "Checkmate!"

Laura admitted defeat. "That was an intense duel. Well done."

Alisa, who was spectating their match, breathed a sigh of relief. "I think my heart was pounding near the end, and I wasn't even playing!"

"It's hard to imagine that we were all novices just a short while ago," Gaius commented. He was helping Rean to put away the cards on their end.

"Yeah, that's one of the appeals of this game. New players don't start off at too big of a disadvantage, but there's still a great amount of depth for old timers as well." Rean put his deck of cards in his pocket and looked out the train window. "It's a good thing you guys finished, cause I think we're just about here."

The three girls turned to look at the view through the window. "Wow…" Morgan commented.

"It's beautiful." Alisa's mouth hung open.

"What a spectacular view," Laura agreed with her fellow females. "The rye planted last fall seems almost ready for harvesting."

"Is that so?" Gaius asked. "I was under the impression that Erebonian rye was harvested in the fall."

"Well, the soil in this area is supposed to be extra fertile due to the warmer climate, so things are a little different here," Rean explained. "The view really is amazing, though. It looks like something out of a painting."

The artist among them nodded his head in agreement. "This certainly would make for some nice landscapes. I wonder if I'll have the chance to draw some rough sketches…"

As Gaius finished his thought, a jingle sounded over the intercom. Shortly afterwards, a female voice informed the passengers that the next stop was Celdic.

The students turned to look at Instructor Sara, who was still snoozing away. "Guess it's time to wake her up…" Rean muttered. As he went over to wake their sleeping instructor, Gaius helped the girls put away their deck of Blade cards.

A minute later, the train braked to a halt at the station and the students retrieved their belongings from below their seats. Then, they followed a yawning Instructor Sara in exiting the train and walking to the entrance of the station. Sara pushed open the doors, and the students took their first steps into the town of Celdic.

Celdic was humble in its appearance, as expected of a town focused around farming and trading. Houses and shops were built from wood and sets of stones adorned the walkways. Right next to the train station, there was also a windmill. However, the main attraction was without a doubt the collection of stalls situated in their own big hub with lots of people coming and leaving as they pleased. The words "Celdic Grand Market" were printed on a slab of wood on top of the wooden structure leading to the eponymous market.

Gaius was the first student to speak. "So this is Celdic…" Though his visage remained as calm as ever, Morgan saw a glint of wonder in his eyes as he took in the surroundings.

"It seems like a really relaxing little town," Rean commented. "Though there are a lot more people here than I expected."

"I imagine they've come for the Grand Market," Laura guessed. "Even merchants from other countries regularly come to see it."

"Sounds like this place is as popular with the tourists as the capital, then, but for a whole different set of reasons." Alisa's eyes were dead set on the Grant Market, as if she wanted to walk in there and get a piece of the action herself.

"Celdic's also widely renowned for their local beer, which they make using rye," Instructor Sara mentioned to her students. "But you're all still minors, so I'm the only one here who gets to drink it!"

A bead of sweat collectively dropped from the students' heads at that comment. "Should've known that the only reason you would come to Celdic with us is for the booze…" Morgan remarked.

"Are you...trying to make us jealous?" Rean couldn't help but ask.

"We don't really care, you know." Alisa remained unimpressed by their instructor.

"Anyway!" Sara quickly changed the topic. "Let me show you to the inn. It's, uh…" She glanced over the view of similar-looking buildings until she found the one with the sign "Weathercock Inn" nailed above the entrance. "...Right over there." With that, the teacher and her students walked to the direction of the inn. Upon entering, they were greeted with the sight of a dining room with a similar layout to the first floor of Kirsche's, except it was much larger to accommodate the larger crowds of Celdic. A set of stairs to the right led up to the inn section of the building.

Sara wasted no time in approaching a woman who was facing the bar counter. "Hey there, Margot," she called to the woman.

Upon hearing her name, the woman turned around. "Well, if it isn't Sara!" The face of the woman named Margot stretched into a friendly smile. "What are you doing here? I knew the kids were coming, but I didn't think you'd be coming with them."

"Oh, I just figured I'd help them get settled in before I left." She turned to the collection of teens behind her and held out her hand to present them. "And here they are: my lovely students! Well, half of them, anyways."

"Well, now, aren't they a youthful looking bunch!" Margot commented. She waved her hand. "You probably already heard, but I'm Margot, the owner of this humble establishment. What might be the names of you fine lads and lasses?"

Each of the students took turns in introducing themselves. After the introductions were finished, Margot took the teens upstairs to the inn room where they would all be staying for the night.

Yes, all of them would be sharing the same room.

"Are you kidding me?!" Alisa exclaimed once she realized this. "Whose idea was this? Was it Instructor Sara? Something tells me it was her."

Margot looked like she had been anticipating a reaction like this. "Yup, it was Sara's idea, all right. Honestly, I had my doubts about that too, but she insisted, so that was that! I broke the beds into a group of three and two to make things less awkward, but that was about the best I could manage."

The group of students all looked at each other with different expressions on their faces.

"Personally, I don't have a problem with these arrangements." Gaius was the first to voice his opinion. "I used to share a tent with my younger brother and sisters back in my homeland. I'm not sure if everyone else will be as accepting, though."

Morgan took a moment to look at the room they were given. Judging from the size of the room, it was definitely meant to be inhabited by a small family. Three beds were positioned along the left wall while the other two were positioned along the side adjacent to them. There was also a desk with drawers a chair, two nightstands in between beds, a closet, and a large, L-shaped couch surrounding a low, wooden table. Off to the far right was the door that led to the bathroom. All things considered, it was more than enough space for all of their needs, especially since they would only be staying for one night.

"Honestly, I think we should take it as is," Morgan finally said. "It's got everything we need, and Margot was kind enough to move some things around."

Laura turned to face Alisa. "Alisa, I don't believe we have a choice here. We are military students. We mustn't allow the prospect of mixed-gender accommodations faze us."

Alisa groaned. "I-I know that, but…"

"It's not uncommon for women to share rooms with men in the army," Morgan noted. "Might as well learn to get used to it sooner or later. If you're that worried, though, then Laura and I can take the outer two beds and you can take the one in the corner."

"Okay, okay! I get it!" Alisa stammered. She then turned to face the two gentlemen who were present. "But if either of you two comes anywhere near our beds…"

"Wouldn't dream of it," Gaius assured her.

"Likewise," Rean agreed.

With the debacle of their living arrangements out of the way, the teens each claimed a bed, with Alisa making a beeline for the bed in the corner far away from the boys. Morgan thought she heard her muttering something about chaining Rean to the bed. Once the room was all sorted, Margot handed the students a rectangular envelope with the Thors academy emblem on it, informing them that the details of their assignment were contained inside. With that, she left the teens by themselves so they could get settled in.

"Now that that's out of the way…" Morgan said once Margot left. "Should we take a look inside?"

The other students gave their unanimous consent. Rean, who was currently holding the envelope from Margot, opened it. "Let's see what we've got…"

Inside the envelope were several pieces of paper, with each sheet containing the description of a task that was meant to be completed. Also included was a small map with the rough layout of Celdic, along with a few short sentences at the bottom. "Study area is defined as a 200 selge radius around Celdic. Each student must record his or her activities daily, to be remitted to the instructor upon request," Rean read.

The students took a moment to let the information sink in. "This is our 'field study'?" Alisa finally asked.

"So we're just going to be working the whole day?" Morgan looked over the information written on the task papers. One was a request from a clergyman to gather some ingredients for a particular medicine. Another was a request from the local orbal shop to help replace a malfunctioning orbment light. The final one was monster extermination request from a local family situated in the highway. "Not gonna lie, this is a bit underwhelming." One thing she also noticed was that the latter two requests had the words "Required" printed in red at the top of the page. 'Still, something about this seems oddly familiar…'

"There is a monster elimination request, at least." Laura perused some of the documents herself. "But that's the most we have."

"As my people often say, 'there is always a way to help around the settlement'," Gaius said.

Rean's eyes then widened, as if he just pieced something together. "So that's her angle…"

The other four students turned to him. "Did you figure something out?" Gaius asked.

Rean thought to himself. "Maybe, but I think we should go and talk this over with Instructor Sara first. She probably stuck around specifically to answer any questions we might have."

"Hmm. You may be right." Laura concurred with her fellow sword wielder.

With that, all five of the students went downstairs hoping that they could catch Instructor Sara before she left. To the surprise of absolutely none of them, they found their instructor in her natural habitat: sitting at the bar with a mug of beer in her hand.

The violet-haired woman made several gulping noises as she chugged her drink. "Ahhh, nothing hits the spot quite like a cold beer!"

Margot, who was standing behind the counter, had her hand on her forehead as she sighed. "You never change, do you, Sara?"

"Come on, don't gimme that!" Sara pointed her finger at the older woman "What kind of person would throw away the opportunity to enjoy beer this good?"

"How about someone who has the gall to not say those things in front of her students, for one?" Margot remarked, noticing the teens in red uniforms marching down the stairs.

"Looks like someone's having the time of her life…" Morgan stated the obvious.

"How many pints has she downed already?!" Alisa wondered aloud. "It's not even noon!"

"Oh, you kids are still here?" Sara just noticed her students standing in a group next to her. "I'll just be hanging back and enjoying myself, so go on ahead and get started! Don't mind me!" She made a shooing motion with her free hand.

"W-we have questions for you, though!" The blonde of the group exclaimed. "What's with these field study tasks?"

"I'm glad that they're not as difficult as I was expecting, but I am curious as to what your aim is with having us do these tasks, Instructor," Gaius admitted.

"Mmm…" Sara put her finger on her chin. "Well, it makes sense you'd have some doubts. You only need to do the ones it says are required, though, so feel free to just ignore the rest if you want. I don't care!" She took another swig of beer. "Up to you how much or how little wanna do!"

This only got the students even more confused. Alisa finally had enough of their instructor's behavior and started raising her voice. "S-stop being so irresponsible and-"

"Wait." Rean interrupted Alisa's rant before it could even begin. "These kinds of decisions are as much a part of our field study as the tasks themselves." He crossed his arms. "Am I right, Instructor?"

His classmates all looked at him strangely. Meanwhile, Sara's face crept into a smile, but it didn't appear to be the type that came from intoxication. She downed the rest of her drink and turned to properly face her students, looking surprisingly sober despite having acted mildly drunk just a moment before. "You have two days," she said to her students. "Trista isn't far from here, so you'll be returning to the academy tomorrow evening. Until then, you can spend your time here however the four of you see fit. Every decision rests on your shoulders; I won't be forcing you to do a thing."

Suddenly, Morgan remembered some words she heard the evening before the free day last week...

* * *

" _It'll mostly just be fulfilling requests from people in the academy and in Trista," Towa explained over dinner. "Sometimes people send in feedback and list things they'd like us to do for them. We try to help out however we can in return, but since we're often so busy running other things, we sometimes don't have the time to answer every request."_

" _I'll skip the details for now, but it's got_ something _to do with the other part of your curriculum that I'll be announcing next week," Instructor Sara spoke over the ARCUS. "I thought it'd be a good chance for one of you to do a little rehearsal before the main event."_

* * *

Morgan yelled once the realization occurred to her, startling her classmates, her instructor, and roughly everyone else on the first floor. "Everything makes sense now!"

Rean, despite the commotion his classmate just caused, couldn't help but grin. "Yeah, I figured it wasn't going to be long before you realized it, too."

The three remaining classmates looked at the two of them, wondering if they knew something that the rest of them didn't. Picking up on this, Rean guided the group upstairs back to their lodgings. Morgan also apologized to the other people on the first floor for her brief outburst.

"Okay, so what's up?" Alisa asked Rean and Morgan once they were all inside their inn room.

"You both look like you've pieced something together," Gaius commented. "Though some were more subtle than others."

Morgan apologized to a classmate for the second time that morning. "S-sorry, but I couldn't help it! It was like my mind went all, 'BOOM'!"

Rean chuckled. "Believe me, I was thrown for a loop too when I pieced everything together." He then turned to face his expectant peers. "Right, so here's how it is…"

Rean proceeded to recount the tasks that he did for the Student Council during his free day, which coincidentally were functionally similar to the tasks they were given for this field study. He also mentioned how after he had finished his tasks, he had learned a lot about Trista, the academy, and the people that inhabited both, moreso than anything a textbook or a newspaper could put into words.

"So whatever various and sundry things Instructor Sara may have planned for us," Rean gave as a concluding statement, "I say we just work our way down the list while immersing ourselves in Celdic culture, taking in as much as we can."

"I already know for a fact that I'm in." Morgan showed no hesitation in signing herself up. "It's like studying geography, only way more engaging and fun!"

"When you put it that way, it does sound pretty exciting," Alisa commented. "Alright, count me in."

"I have no objections either," Gaius concurred.

"Then we are all in unanimous consent," Laura acknowledged. "Since we're all here, however, we should take a look at the tasks again so we can plan our day efficiently."

"Already on it." To the surprise of the other four students, Morgan had already grabbed the envelope and started emptying its contents onto the wooden table beside the large couch. The black-haired girl interlaced her fingers and stretched her arms, ready to flex her intellectual muscles. As her classmates gathered around her, she laid out the map of Celdic. "Right, so here's where we are right now…" She pointed to the location of Weathercock Inn on the map. "And our pick-up locations for the field study tasks are here, here, and...here." She pointed to three different locations on the map. "Now, how do we want to do this…"

"The monster extermination one looks like the farthest one away, so we should probably save that one for last," Rean suggested.

"That's a good idea." Alisa nodded her head in agreement. "It definitely sounds like the toughest one of the bunch, so we should only do that when we're ready." Laura and Gaius also voiced their agreement.

With that out of the way, Morgan turned back to the map. "As for these other two, they seem to be in the same general vicinity as each other. The orbal shop is closer to the inn, but I was thinking we should visit the chapel first." She lifted the paper for her other classmates to see. "This Father Zirbel wants us to find some ingredients, but he didn't specify which ones. We may as well see what ingredients he wants first and collect them as we do the other tasks. It doesn't say "Required" at the top, so I'm assuming there's no time limit, but that's all the more reason to ask, right?" She looked up from the sheet of paper to find her classmates staring at her with varying expressions. "What?"

"S-sorry," Rean apologized. "It's just...the way you're talking almost makes it feel like everything's going to work out. It's like you're, how do I describe this…"

"I think the word you're looking for is 'professional'." Gaius said. "At the very least, it looks like you know what you're doing."

"Do you have any previous work experience?" Alisa asked. "Like, were you a planner or a manager?"

"Ha! I wish!" Morgan laughed. "But no, nothing that special. I just used to run errands like this before I enrolled at the academy. Must have gotten used to it. Anyways, that's what I got for now. If anyone else wants to make a suggestion, speak or forever hold your peace."

No one said a word, so Morgan took that as her cue to get up from the couch and leave to grab her weapon from her lute case. "Then it's time for us to get some work done-zo!"

* * *

 **Author's note: The idea to include an encounter with Misty was one that spontaneously occurred in my head, and since I'm a sucker for including extra scenarios while still remaining in the context of the story, I figured "why not?" Misty was always a character I felt could have benefited from more interaction to make late-game reveals all the more surprising and personal (even though she has perfect reason for being like this), and the moment I started jotting down some dialogue, I found that she was actually really fun to write. Not entirely sure if she'll be a reoccurring character in this fic yet, so I'll leave that for you all decide.  
** **Other than that, this chapter was fairly straightforward, so nothing else much to say. Congrats on making it to the end, as always. If you enjoyed reading this, that's good to hear! If you didn't, well...eh, I tried. That's all! Over and out!** **∠(^ー^)**


	8. April 24th - Field Study Day 1, Pt 2

"So just to clarify…" Morgan looked over the details she jotted down. "You want us to find a bear claw and some Imperial carrots, which can be found at the Grand Market and a farmhouse on the West Celdic Highway, respectively."

"Yes, that should be it." Father Zirbel, a middle-aged man wearing a purple habit, confirmed the information.

"We'll try to be back as soon as we can," Rean assured the clergyman. "On that note, we'll be off then, Father."

After bidding Father Zirbel goodbye for the time being, Group A left the chapel.

"Which of our two destinations should we make our way to first?" Laura asked once they were all outside.

"We could go to the orbal factory now," Alisa suggested. "It's on the way to the Grand Market, anyways. We can go over the details for the light replacement request, then stop by the Grand Market to pick up the bear claw."

"That's a good idea," Morgan followed up in response. "Both the second ingredient and the orbal lamp are in the West Celdic Highway, so we can do both at once! Two birds with one stone!"

With that, Group A walked a short distance over to the orbal factory to get filled in on the request. Samus, the employee who issued the request, explained that an orbment light for a road lamp near Lunaria Nature Park on the west highway stopped functioning and it was Group A's job to switch the broken light for a new one. There were two additional things Samus emphasized. First, removing the lamp required inputting a special numerical code, which Samus provided to them right then and there. Second, because the main function of the road lamp is to ward off monsters, there could be a chance that monsters could get the jump on the students while they were repairing the lamp; should that happen, they would just have to repel the monsters. With a new orbment light in tow, the students left the orbment factory and hung a left to arrive at the Grand Market.

"I know I said this before…" Rean said. "But I'm amazed at how many people are here."

"It really is bustling," Alisa agreed. "I guess there's a reason people come from all over to visit it!"

"There's even someone over there performing." Gaius pointed to a person playing a fiddle in a little rest area at the far side of the market with tables, chairs, and some shade. "I'm sure Elliot would have loved to see this."

"He's definitely the kind of guy who would spend hours here just to listen to a live performance," Morgan remarked.

"We should certainly take the opportunity to explore the Grand Market in full after we finish our tasks," Laura suggested. "This is Celdic's foremost attraction, after all; it would be a waste if we didn't partake in it as well."

"Then let's focus all our efforts to completing our tasks first," Gaius urged.

* * *

After a bit of walking around and examining some of the stalls, the students came across the apothecary that Father Zirbel said would give them the first ingredient they needed. The old man who ran the stall understood their request and handed them a bear claw, which wasn't an actual claw but rather a thorny medicinal herb that resembled one. They thanked the man and left the Grand Market for the time being to go to the highway. Before they could step out, however, they were stopped momentarily by a group of three soldiers from the Kreuzen provincial army, which meant that they were in the service of the Albareas, Jusis's family. The soldiers intimidated the students a little bit, but after explaining that they needed to go out onto the highway to pick up some ingredients and repair a broken road lamp, the soldiers eventually let them pass. The encounter reminded Group A to be cautious of their activities around them.

The West Celdic Highway was divided up into two sections. The first section closest to Celdic was relatively peaceful so the students were able to take in their environment. Upon entering the second portion, however, they began to encounter some monsters. Fortunately, these monsters were tame enough to mind their own business unless the students purposefully engaged them, but with how many more creatures there were in comparison to the previous section of the highway, the group agreed that they should repair the road lamp as soon as possible.

Eventually, they found the lamp by a windmill in front of Lunaria Nature Park, just as Samus said it would be located. Alisa volunteered to do the honors of repairing the lamp, which made sense considering she was the only member of the group who used a long-ranged weapon and as such was used to staying behind the others. While Alisa worked on the lamp, Rean, Morgan, Laura, and Gaius huddled around her to prevent any monsters from getting near her. Thanks to the combined strength of four physical fighters as well as the ARCUS combat links, any monsters that approached them were repelled with ease. Finally, Alisa closed the repair door shut and the road lamp began glowing, signifying that she succeeded in repairing it. The last of the straggling monsters began to retreat upon seeing the light.

"Looks like things have calmed down," noted Rean. He sheathed his sword and turned to Alisa. "Nice work, Alisa. You got that done in record time!"

"Yes. I was expecting the process to take much longer." Laura put her sword away.

"W-well, it was a pretty simple procedure…" Alisa blushingly insisted. "Besides, Samus said that it was easy enough to be done by anyone, and he wasn't kidding."

"I've only ever seen one other person fix an orbal light that quickly, so I'm quite certain that procedures aren't all to it," Gaius commented. "You should feel accomplished."

"We all should feel accomplished," Morgan corrected. "We've basically just completed our first field study task! I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm feeling pumped!"

"I guess when you put it that way, how can I not feel a little bit proud of myself?" Alisa put the broken orbment light in her skirt pocket. "Well, that's a wrap at least. Let's head back to Celdic."

"We should also try to find the farmhouse where we can get the ingredients for Father Zirbel," Rean reminded everyone.

Fortunately for the students, said farmhouse happened to be situated near the newly-repaired orbal lamp (it also helped that it was the only farmhouse they had encountered thus far). They talked to Paul, the farmer living in the house, who gave them the Imperial carrots Father Zirbel asked for. With the second ingredient secured, Group A trekked all the way back to Celdic, where they split temporarily into two groups to deliver both reports at once. Alisa and Laura left to report to Samus at the orbal factory while Rean, Morgan, and Gaius entered the chapel to give the ingredients to Father Zirbel. The clergyman was delighted to see that the students returned safe and sound and rewarded them with some healing balms and salves in exchange for the ingredients. After bidding the father farewell, the three students exited the chapel and met up with their other two classmates, having just finished the request on their end. Together, they returned to Weathercock Inn briefly to drop off the loot they gained from completing their tasks (and, in Morgan's case, empty her pouches of the sepith she had collected from defeating monsters) before heading to the other side of town to fulfill the monster extermination request.

The East Celdic Highway was home to several more monsters compared to West Celdic Highway, so Group A had to tread their ground more carefully. Upon finding the farmhouse owned by Syro, the person who issued the request, the students were given a description of the monster as well as its general location. With the information in mind, they continued travelling along the highway until they found a blue dinosaur with a purple dorsal fin along its back.

"That appears to be the monster we're looking for," Gaius said once they spotted it.

"It does match the description the man gave us," Laura confirmed.

"It looks pretty tough," Alisa noted. "What should we do?"

"We don't really have a choice, do we?" Rean rested his hand on the hilt of his tachi. "We have to kill it. It's causing problems for the farmers."

"Double check your equipment, guys," Morgan told her classmates. "We need to be prepared for whatever this thing might throw at us. We'll go once I give the signal, just like how we rehearsed it."

After one final equipment check, Group A got into formation, with Rean, Laura, and Gaius in the front and Morgan and Alisa in the back. Morgan started preparing an orbal art as the other students formed two pairs of ARCUS links amongst each other, with one link between Rean and Laura and another between Gaius and Alisa. Several moments later, Morgan completed her art. "Aqua Bleed!" As an orb of water launched towards the blue dinosaur, Alisa fired an arrow from her orbal bow while the remaining three front-line attackers rushed forward to engage the enemy.

* * *

"Behold, my most powerful strike!" The space around Laura's sword began to glow as a saintly light enveloped the blade. "Radiant Blade Dance!" As she announced her attack, Laura charged towards the dinosaur and before it could react, she delivered two slashes followed by a full-round swing. The succession of attacks was as quick as it was powerful, and the monster collapsed soon after.

Morgan walked over carefully to confirm that the monster was indeed dead. "Guess that's a wrap." She smirked. "For a scary dinosaur, it really wasn't all that scary. If anything…" Her voice trailed off as she looked at Laura.

Laura returned the stare. "If anything…?"

'If anything, you're the scary one' was what Morgan was tempted to say, but in the end she abstained her comment. "Nothing."

Rean sheathed his sword. "As expected of the Arseid school; it's even more impressive in person than I'd imagined."

"I appreciate the compliment, but I still have a long way to go before I'm fully proficient in this technique." Laura modestly brushed off the words of praise as she restrapped her sword to the side of her waist.

"If that's what you consider 'a long way to go', then I'm not sure I can picture what mastery looks like," Gaius commented.

"Not to mention, it would have been tougher if not for the power of our combat links." Alisa put away her orbal bow and looked down with a relenting expression. "I hate to admit it, but ARCUS does seem to have a lot of potential."

Gaius turned to her, confused. "You 'hate to admit it'? How come?"

Alisa waved her hand furiously. "N-never mind that!"

It was for a brief moment, but Rean and Morgan locked eyes with one another.

"Anyways," Alisa continued, "We should go tell the people at the farm that we took care of the monster they reported."

As the students left, Morgan caught Laura staring in her and Rean's direction. Rean confronted his fellow sword wielder. "Is something wrong, Laura?"

"No…" Laura closed her eyes and shook her head. "It's nothing. Let's go."

* * *

After informing Syro that the monster had been defeated and obtaining some fresh produce as a reward, Group A made their way back to Celdic.

"So, what do you guys want to do once we get back?" Rean asked everyone.

"I want to eat," Morgan bluntly replied. As if on cue, her stomach made a gurgling noise.

"Agreed." Alisa looked like she was about ready to keel over. "We even technically skipped lunch. How are the rest of you still walking?"

"Personally, I'm no stranger to physical labor," Gaius replied. "I've done my fair share of running around fulfilling errands back in my homeland."

"This is nothing but the results of years of training." Morgan could detect a hint of pride in Laura's voice as she spoke. "With enough diligence, your stamina will naturally increase."

"I'm pretty much the same," the other sword wielder said. "Though by this point, I'm pretty tired out myself." He then caught Laura giving him the same stare that she showed back when they defeated the monster. "What's up, Laura?"

"Nothing." She gave him the same answer as before. "I do believe a well-earned break is in order; we spent the majority of our morning and afternoon working, after all. Perhaps we can take this time to browse the Grand Market?"

"That sounds like a good idea." Rean held up the produce they had received. "We'll drop these off at the inn, and then we'll go check out the Grand Market. Does that sound good to everyone?"

The other students voiced their agreement and together Group A picked up the pace. Once they arrived back at Weathercock Inn, they were treated to the sight of Sara passed out at the bar counter.

"Why am I surprised and yet not surprised at the same time?" Alisa couldn't help but give herself a facepalm.

Margot, who was handing another customer a drink, noticed the group of students who just entered the building. "Oh, you're back! Are you kids all finished with your tasks?"

"Technically, we still have to write our reports, but other than that we're pretty much done, so we're going to check out the Grand Market." Rean peered over at their instructor's sleeping face. "Is she going to be okay?"

"Don't you worry about her," the inn owner assured him. "Leave handling the drunken adults to us. Go out there and enjoy yourselves, but be sure not to eat too much or else you won't have a stomach for dinner tonight!"

"Speaking of dinner, are we eating here tonight or do we have to find some ourselves?" Morgan couldn't help but ask.

"You're all going to be staying the evening, so naturally you're going to be eating here, too!" Margot replied. "In fact, tonight's dinner and tomorrow's breakfast have already been paid for by the academy, so just make sure you all show up!"

"That's rather convenient," Gaius remarked. "It seems we have one less thing to worry about."

After thanking Margot for her hospitality and entrusting their sleeping instructor's safety in her hands, Group A excused themselves to go to their rooms and drop off their reward and their weapons before leaving to go to the Grand Market for the second time that day. Rean immediately went to look at one of the ceramics stalls with Gaius following suit, leaving the three females by themselves.

"I guess the three of us are sticking together." Alisa looked at the collection of stalls gathered in the market. "So which one do you think we should go to first? The lace at that stall has a really pretty design."

"I think I know which one I'm going to." Morgan was staring ahead, eyeing one of the booths on the far right.

"Oh? Which one has caught your eye?" Laura asked.

Rather than point out which one she wanted to visit, Morgan beckoned the two of them to follow her as she made a beeline to her desired destination. Upon arriving, the lady at the vendor smiled at the teens. "Welcome! We've got fresh ham, smoked meat, and sausages here, ready for you to try and then buy!"

Morgan's mouth started watering as she scanned the array of meats on display. "Oooh, yes…"

"Should've expected that you'd go for the meats…" Alisa quipped.

"Hey! Protein's good for you!" Morgan fired back.

"Oh, a party of three?" the vendor inquired. "That's perfect! If you're looking for a full course to take home, then we've got it right here! We'll even throw in a pack of beer, but only if you buy it now!"

"That sounds like something our instructor would love," Laura commented.

"No kidding." Alisa thought of their instructor, passed out at the bar counter. "I can see her spending all her money here. Let's keep quiet about it."

"We've also got some exotic venison here, too. Deer, rabbit, even bear-"

"BEAR?!" Morgan was suddenly shouting. "DID YOU JUST SAY BEAR?!"

"That I did! Fresh bear jerky! Well, about as fresh as jerky gets, anyways. It's a bit on the pricey side and somewhat of an acquired taste, but the look on your face is telling me you're willing to eat it regardless!" Morgan was furiously nodding her head like a rabid dog. "A stick costs 500!"

"Wha-five hundred mira for a stick of meat?" Alisa almost couldn't believe it. "Morgan, that's a bit-"

"Sold!" Morgan thrust double the amount at the vendor. "I'll take two please!"

The lady laughed as she took the mira. "You're a feisty carnivore, aren't you? I like that!" After setting aside the money, she grabbed two pieces of bear jerky. "Here you go! Enjoy!"

"I will!" Morgan grabbed both sticks of jerky and immediately bit into one.

"I-is it good?" Alisa was genuinely curious.

Her black-haired friend looked like she just took a bite out of something holy. "Mmm, yes! Oh, how I've missed this!" She then held out the other, unbitten stick of jerky. "Here! Why don't you two give it a try?"

Laura blinked. "You want the two of us to eat this?"

"Of course! You only live once, so you might as well put the stuff of bears in you!"

Alisa took the stick of jerky from Morgan's hands. She said, "Well, there's nothing wrong with trying something new…" and nibbled a little piece of the meat. Immediately, her eyes started bugging out. "Agh! Blech! Ptooey!" She then handed the jerky over to Laura, who proceeded take a small bite out of it as well. After a second, the swordswoman who normally appeared infallible reeled back in disgust.

"Goodness!" Laura started coughing. "This is...incomprehensibly gamey!"

"The aftertaste is like my grandpa's old boots!" Alisa exclaimed. "Wait, scratch that. Even his boots smelled better!"

Morgan meanwhile was doubling over with laughter. "Your faces...you should see the looks on your faces!"

"Just what sort of training did you go through to endure such a taste?" Laura asked, almost sounding impressed.

"This IS my training!" Morgan grinned devilishly as she took the bear jerky from Laura's hands. "A piece of bear meat a day keeps the other prey at bay! Doesn't the taste of predator make you feel strong?"

"It makes me feel like I need to strongly reconsider my life choices." Alisa turned to the vendor, who looked like she was trying very hard not to laugh. "Excuse me, do you sell any drinks?"

"Of course." The woman faced the back of her stall to a big vat of iced water and poured two cups. "Wash yourselves down with this. Don't worry about the fee this time; it happens to everyone on their first taste of bear."

Both Alisa and Laura took the cups and gulped down the contents. "Whew, much better. Thank you."

"That was certainly...a unique experience," Laura commented. "Unfortunately, I don't think bear is for me."

* * *

After their rather hectic start, the girls continued their tour through the rest of the Grand Market. They would visit a market stall, browse some of the wares, occasionally buy something, and then move on to the next. As expected of a place called the Grand Market, there was a variety of goods brought from nearly every corner of the empire and even from across country borders. Local produce, jewelry from Bareahard, products from the factories in Liberl, and spices from the far east were all to be found in this one central hub. There was even a stall selling plush dolls of a mascot named Mishy, a gray and white cat originating from Crossbell, that Laura immediately took a shine to. After some light teasing from her female classmates, Laura gave in to her urges and bought one.

After a while, they found Rean and Gaius chatting at a table in the rest area and joined them in some light discussion about their day so far while listening to a live performer play his fiddle. Morgan even offered to share her stick of bear jerky with the boys and tore off a piece for each of them to try, which, to Alisa and Laura's surprise, they both stomached without too much trouble. Eventually, their brief respite came to an end after they heard two loud voices shouting by the front of the market. Group A collectively went to see what the commotion was about, where they were met with a small crowd gathering around two people who were arguing with each other.

Rean picked a random man from the crowd and asked him a question. "Umm, may I ask what the problem is? Perhaps we can help in some way."

The man turned to face the group of students and spoke in a heavy accent. "Dunnae what's goin' on oot here either. From the looks of it, both of 'em are arguin' over which one gets that there front stall. The young'un's local while the one in the suit's from the capital."

"So both merchants are claiming the same spot…" Gaius mulled over the information.

"How odd," Laura remarked. "Permits for the market are issued by the province's ruling lord."

"So for Celdic, that would be…" Before Alisa could finish her thought, a collective gasp came from the crowd. Both merchants were now in close proximity and wringing each other's collars.

"This isn't good!" Rean looked like he was ready to take action.

"We must stop them!" Agreeing with her fellow sword user, Laura hastily pushed the paper bag containing her new plush Mishy into Alisa's arms. "Hold this!"

Alisa could only yelp and wrap her arms around the bag to keep it from falling as Laura and Rean rushed in to separate both merchants by grabbing their arms from behind.

"Wh-who are you?!" the local merchant exclaimed as Laura restrained him.

"Unhand me at once!" The merchant in the suit tried to resist Rean's hold on him.

"I'm not sure exactly what's going on here, but violence isn't going to solve anything!" Rean did his best to talk while maintaining his grip on the adult.

"You both need to calm yourselves," Laura ordered them. "You've both been worked into a rage."

The suited merchant noticed the three other teens wearing the same uniform as the people who were restraining them. "What are you, high schoolers?"

"This has nothing to do with you meddling kids!" The local merchant refused to let up. "We're having a mature discussion here, and I'll thank you not to interfere!"

"Since when has grabbing a person by the neck been considered mature?" Morgan wondered aloud, all the while munching away at her stick of bear jerky.

"If you truly intend to have a mature discussion, perhaps you should try acting more like adults," Alisa sternly told the merchants.

"What in Aidios' name is happening here?" an older man's voice sighed from behind the crowd. All the people assembled turned to the Grand Market's entrance to see an elderly man wearing a suit and a hat walking towards them.

"Oh, now look what you've done!" the merchant from the capital said.

"M-Manager Otto…" the local merchant immediately stopped resisting and tensed up.

The man named Otto stood in front of the two merchants and told Rean and Laura to let go of them. After they complied, Otto offered to direct the merchants to his house where they could discuss matters in private, which both men agreed to do.

As the two merchants walked out of the market for the time being, he turned to Rean, Laura, and the other students. "I really appreciate you all stepping in to help defuse the situation," he told them. "Though, I suppose I should expect no less from the infamous Class VII I've heard so much about."

At the mention of their class's name, each student reacted with surprise. "How do you know about us?" Morgan asked without thinking. Then she remembered the local merchant's earlier remark. "Wait, you're the manager; of course you'd know if some military students were staying in your town."

The elderly man smiled earnestly. "That's correct. My name is Otto, and as the young lady said, I'm the manager of Celdic's Grand Market. Truth be told, I have some things to discuss with you all, so if you'd be so kind as to come along, I'll treat you to some tea."

Having no reason to decline an offer from the highest authority in Celdic, Group A followed the manager out of the market and to his house. Once inside, Otto took the two merchants upstairs while the students were treated to some tea by the manager's wife. After a while, all three adult men came downstairs, with the merchant from the capital having a happier expression on his face than the local merchant. Regardless, both merchants said their thanks to the manager and left the building.

"My apologies for keeping you waiting, ladies and gentlemen of Class VII." Otto took a seat at the couch where the students were. He had taken off his hat, revealing a head full of gray hair.

"I take it the issues have been resolved?" Rean asked to make sure.

"For the moment, at least." The elderly man sighed as he explained the situation. "Both of their permits are genuine, but their merchandise and temperaments don't lend themselves to sharing a space. Eventually, they agreed to a compromise where they would each make use of the front stall on alternate weeks. The other stall we reserved is near the back of the market, however, so whoever's relegated there will likely see far lower sales numbers."

"It's rather unfortunate that it came to this, but at least it's better than nothing," Gaius commented.

"I must admit, I do find this whole matter rather perplexing," Laura said. "To my knowledge, the issuing of market permits is the sole responsibility of each province's ruling lord. For a mistake such as this to have been made in the first place raises some rather unpleasant questions."

"That's true." Rean nodded his head. "It's a lord's duty to control the flow of goods. If he can't handle it, the local economy could really suffer."

"Quite right." Otto seemed impressed that the students who spoke possessed such critical economic knowledge. "Ordinarily, that responsibility would fall upon the duke's household, but lately, the situation surrounding the duke's household has been getting a bit...complicated."

"Complicated?" Morgan asked. "How exactly?"

The market manager closed his eyes solemnly. "A few months ago, he increased the sales tax for our market rather significantly, and with a larger percentage of their profits being taken from them, the merchants have begun to get rather desperate. Fights like the one you saw earlier are becoming more and more commonplace."

'It's just like Misty said.' Morgan recalled the small bit of information the news reporter gave her. 'Taxes are going up, which endangers the value of market goods, and too many little things can add up to become a big problem.' She raised her hand to speak. "If I may ask, how long has this been going on?"

"Roughly two months now," Otto answered. "I've tried to raise some objections to the increase during that time. I'd even gone to Bareahard numerous times to petition the duke personally! But…" He shook his head dejectedly. "They always just drive me away at the gate without listening to a word I have to say."

'Yeeeup. That's definitely more than enough time to get people upset.' While she was mulling over the rest of the information, a realization occurred to her. "Wait, if this is a problem with the duke, then how come the provincial army isn't doing anything?"

All eyes laid on her as she said this. "I mean, the guardhouse is literally right next to the market. You'd think that they'd at least hear the commotion and try to see what's going on."

"That's a good point," Laura concurred. "Unlike the Imperial Army, a provincial army's main priority is maintaining the status quo throughout their territory, so mediating arguments which threaten that status quo should absolutely fall within the scope of their duties."

"If that's the case, the mix-up with the permits may be more than just an accident," Rean speculated.

The market manager nodded his head. "I'm not one to jump to conclusions, but everything you have said is correct. It seems that unless we accept this tax increase, they intend to turn a blind eye to the market. The commanding officer at the guardhouse has even made comments suggesting as such."

"That's not right at all!" Alisa didn't hesitate in voicing her opinion.

"Perhaps it isn't," Otto relented. "But in the end, there is little we can do about this situation."

Silence reigned over the room after that last sentence. All of the individuals seated collectively took a sip of their tea without saying a word.

* * *

Eventually, Otto remembered the reason he called Group A over in the first place and informed them that he was the one responsible for choosing their assignments, having been instructed to do so by Principal Vandyck. After the market manager thanked them for their assistance and insisted that they focus on their field study, Group A excused themselves and left the manager's house. Now they were standing in the central plaza in front of the train station.

Gaius was the first to speak. "It would appear that leadership in the empire is far more...complicated than I imagined."

"To say that that is an understatement would be putting it lightly," Morgan quipped.

"Provincial lords have the duty and the right to decide upon and collect taxes in the regions they control," Alisa said. "And as long as that remains the case, there's not really much the general populace can do to stand against them."

"I'm reluctant to comment on how others choose to rule their own territories," Laura admitted, "but harassing one's people like this seems clearly inappropriate. I've heard many rumors about the current head of House Albarea…"

"In other words, Jusis's dad." Morgan thought of their blond-haired classmate. "I wonder if he knows anything about this…"

"I take it we can't ask him for help?" Gaius asked.

"I doubt there's anything he could do," Rean answered, shaking his head. "Among the nobility, decisions made by the head of the house are absolute, and since the Albareas represent one of the Four Great Houses, that old tradition is absolutely guaranteed to be alive and well."

"The only person with more power than the heads of the Four Great Houses is the emperor, but he's probably busy dealing with more important matters right now," Morgan added. "No matter which way you look at it, there's not much we can do here."

"I see you're all busy mulling things over. Excellent, excellent!" A voice coming from the direction of the inn caught the students' attention. Walking towards them was their instructor, wide awake and appearing right as rain.

"What brings you here?" Alisa asked.

"I figured it was about time for me to get going," Sara replied. "Group B's not getting anything done, as expected, so I'm off to help sort them out."

"You're going to see them now?" Morgan questioned.

"The town of Parm is a considerable distance from here," Laura noted.

"Now, now, you let me worry about that. You four are perfectly capable of looking after yourselves anyway, right?" Their instructor shifted her body away from them towards the station. "Put your heads together and think, and I'm certain you'll see what you need to do."

Having just witnessed their instructor give a piece of advice in a way that wasn't played for laughs for once, the students were taken aback for a moment. With one last smile, Instructor Sara started walking away from them. "Aidios be with you, and all that! I'll be looking forward to your reports!"

Group A took that as their cue to return to the inn and get started on their reports.

* * *

Morgan leaned back in her chair and exhaled. "Now THAT was delicious."

"Agreed." Gaius relaxed as he sipped some tea. "The vegetables were very fresh."

"Yeah, nothing beats food made from local ingredients," Rean concurred.

"I quite enjoyed the rye bread, myself," Laura commented.

Group A was sitting at a five-person table on the first floor of the inn, having just finished their dinner. The sun had officially set and it was now nighttime in Celdic. The crowd that had once filled the first floor of the inn during the afternoon was now gone, though there were still a few people drinking at the bar counter. The food provided to them courtesy of Margot was on the lighter side, but the use of fresh ingredients with plenty of nutrients in them made the meal filling nonetheless. With the first day of their field study nearing its end and having finished writing their reports before supper, all five of the students finally had a chance to thoroughly relax.

"I guess this whole field study thing isn't so bad, when you take the menu into account," Alisa joked. "I wonder what the others in Group B are doing right now…"

The thought of the remaining half of their class sent some unease through the students. "Somehow, I doubt they're sitting around a table and talking like we are," Rean answered.

'If they were, then that's when I'd have to lose my suspension of disbelief,' Morgan thought.

"It truly makes me wonder why Instructor Sara would deliberately make the groupings like so," Gaius said, branching off of Rean's last comment. "Furthermore, I can't seem to figure what our class's collective purpose is."

"I'm certain that there's more reason to it than just testing the ARCUS," Laura speculated. "If that were all, today's field study tasks would serve little purpose."

"It seems as though she's trying to make us experience.,.I don't know...things," Alisa added. "Like, all kinds of things, big and small. What I can't wrap my head around, though, is why."

"To unite people from lots of different backgrounds so they can push back the impending darkness."

Four pairs of eyes turned surprisedly to Morgan after her unusual but rather automatic answer. Realizing what she just said, the black-haired girl hastily sipped her drink. "At least, that's what I think when looking from a hypothetical, idealistic standpoint. Don't think too much on it."

Rean seemed to lose himself in his own thoughts for a moment. "You do have a point, though. What DO we have to offer one another, when our reasons for enrolling at Thors in the first place are undoubtedly very different?" he finally asked.

The center of focus shifted from Morgan to Rean. "Our...reasons?" Gaius repeated.

"I hadn't considered that…" Alisa said.

"My reason for enrolling was quite simple." Laura showed no hesitation in going first. "I aim to come ever closer to my goal. Or rather, to the person whom I regard as such."

"And who might that be?" Gaius asked.

Given who she was related to, Morgan discerned that Laura's goal probably had something to do with her father. Meanwhile, the swordswoman replied with a small chuckle. "This is neither the time nor the place to discuss such matters; best to save that topic for another day. What about you, Gaius?"

"Me? Well, it may come as no surprise, but I've always wanted to learn about the world outside of Nord," he answered. "So, when I was presented with the opportunity to attend Thors through a recommendation, I wholeheartedly accepted it. It is my hope that through my time here at the academy, I can attain a better understanding of the world not just to further my own knowledge, but also so I can understand how to better protect my homeland."

"That's...actually pretty noble," Morgan commended him. Rean, Laura, and Alisa were all impressed as well.

Gaius smiled. "I'm honored that you think that, but really I just want to protect my home. It's situated right in between Erebonia and Calvard, two opposing countries that have been at each other's throats as of late. I have every right to at least be concerned about the situation."

"That's true." Alisa sighed. "Honestly, I'm a little jealous that you and Laura have well-defined goals already. I don't have anything like that."

"You don't?" Morgan looked at Alisa curiously. "Why did you enroll, then? Just cause?"

"Well…" The blond female paused for a moment to think. "There's no single reason, but...I think I just wanted to assert my independence." Alisa looked like she wanted to stop there, but the expectant (and rather confused) expressions on her classmates' faces seemed to incline her to explain further. "I mean, my situation back at home isn't exactly ideal, and this seemed like a good way to get out and...do more, I guess."

"I see…" Rean commented, nodding his head in understanding. Morgan silently shared his feelings; knowing that Alisa was a Reinford definitely helped to fill in the gaps in her explanation, however vague she made it.

Finally, the number of people yet to talk was reduced to two. After a moment of quietness between the students, Morgan decided to take the initiative. "My reason for coming to Thors is pretty silly, to be honest," she started. "But...I kind of wanted the experience."

"The experience?" Laura repeated.

"Yeah. How should I put this…" Morgan thought on how to best phrase her answer. "Being able to get a formal education was something I never got the chance to do when I was younger, so when the opportunity presented itself to me, I went all in on it. Course, I did have some people who insisted that I at least try going to school, but that's not important."

"You didn't go to school before?" Alisa raised an eyebrow. "Not even Sunday School?"

Morgan laughed nervously. "I guess I never really considered that. I was homeschooled a long while back, but after that I mostly taught myself."

Rean blinked. "Wait, so how were you able to study for the entrance exam?"

"I was able to find some local help, but in the end…" She shrugged her shoulders. "I just didn't know when to quit." That aroused a small chuckle from her other classmates. "Well, that's my story. All that leaves is…" Her voice trailed off as she directed her gaze expectantly to Rean. Alisa, Gaius, and Laura also did the same. "You're the one who brought this up; it's only fair you answer the question, too!"

"Me? Hmm…" Rean closed his eyes to think. After several seconds, he gave his answer. "I wanted to find myself, I guess."

"Find yourself…?" Alisa repeated those words, confused. Morgan and Gaius also seemed perplexed by the vague explanation.

Rean started fidgeting nervously. "Sorry, that makes it sound like a much bigger deal than it actually is. That's the best way I can think of to put it, though."

"You don't have to apologize," Gaius assured him. "There's nothing wrong with going on a journey of self-discovery."

Alisa smirked. "I had no idea you were such a romanticist."

"Agreed!" Morgan looked up and down at Rean, as if she were scanning him. "You definitely don't come across as that kind of guy, but hey! To each their own, right?"

Rean sighed. "Maybe I shouldn't have said anything…"

Laura, meanwhile, remained silent for the remainder of the discussion, continuing to stare impassively at the swordsman.

* * *

"So, you want me to wake you up at six tomorrow, right?" Margot double-checked to make sure.

"Yes, please," Rean responded. "We only have until tomorrow evening, so we need to get an early start." The other students agreed as well.

"Not a problem at all!" Margot replied with gusto. "Have a good night." With that, she left the students to clean their table.

Morgan stretched her arms above her body. "Well, guess it's time to call it a day. Don't know about all of you, but I'm ready to pass out as soon as my head hits the pillow!"

"Just try not to oversleep this time, you hear?" Alisa squinted her eyes as she looked at Morgan.

"Hey, I don't wake up that late!" Morgan fired back. "I usually always wake up around six! How early do you guys wake up?"

"At least around five," replied Rean.

"The same," said Laura.

"I woke up at five-thirty this morning," answered Alisa.

"Five at the latest," stated Gaius. "Though I'm usually up by around four to four-thirty."

Morgan was at a loss for words. "...Well, crud. You know what? Just forget everything I said earlier. Wake me up tomorrow if you have to." As she stormed up the stairs in a fit of disappointment, the other four students couldn't resist laughing. Gaius and Alisa eventually followed Morgan up to the second floor. Rean moved to follow them as well, but he was stopped by Laura's voice calling to him.

Rean turned to face Laura and asked, for the upteenth time that day, "What is it?"

"I was unsure whether to ask or not, but I've decided that this question bears answering," she staunchly replied. "...Why have you chosen to hold back?"

* * *

 **Author's note: This is where I had to take some creative liberties regarding how to best progress the plot without things getting too oversaturated with character dialogue copy-pasted from the base game. As such, I ended up cutting a lot of things out, from the fight scene to even this dialogue between Rean and Laura! For future reference, if something gets cut out, you can assume that it goes relatively the same as it did in the original game. I also couldn't figure out how to implement the hidden quest this time around, so the most I could do was give the merchant involved a cameo.  
Apologies if this chapter feels a bit rushed; I'll admit this probably isn't my best work, but I'll try to make it up next time. ****ｍ（｡≧ _ ≦｡）ｍ**

 **Have one last segment to end this chapter off.**

* * *

With some final words expressing her disappointment, Laura left the inn to go practice outside. As she left, Rean had a loathing expression on his face, but it was clear that the loathing was directed not to the girl who dismissed him, but rather to himself. Walking over to a nearby wooden beam, he rested his arm on it before pressing against it with his forehead, letting out a discomforting groan as he did so.

Unbeknownst to the both of them, the three students who had left to retire to the inn room had stayed outside to watch the event unfold in front of them. Without saying another word, they went into the living space and closed the door behind them.


	9. April 25th - Field Study Day 2, Pt 1

The morning of Group A's second and final day of their field study began rather tensely. The amount of tension present wasn't as much as, for say, when Machias and Jusis were involved, but it was present nonetheless. Throughout the period in which they ate breakfast and read over the field study tasks they received from Margot, Rean tried his best to avoid looking into Laura's eyes as much as possible, only stealing a few glances when necessary. Laura, meanwhile, remained as infallible as ever. Morgan, Alisa, and Gaius were understandably uneasy at the awkward silence between the two.

Eventually, their tense but quiet morning came to an end when a red-haired waitress came in running through the front door and stopped in front of Margot. "Margot, we've got trouble!"

"Slow down, Louise!" Margot addressed the panting employee. "It's first thing in the morning, and you're about poised to wake the dead! Where have you been, anyway? You're late!"

Louise bowed several times. "I-I'm sorry. I just got caught up on the way here…" She then stood upright. "Wait, never mind that! We've got trouble! Something terrible has happened over at the market!"

The inn owner raised an eyebrow. "Something terrible, you say?"

"How terrible can it be?" Morgan asked.

Louise turned to the students. "Well, it sounds like it actually took place last night. Two of the stalls over at the market were destroyed, and all of their merchandise was stolen!"

A wave of shock was sent through everyone who was present in the inn at that moment. Whatever levity remained on Morgan's face promptly vanished. "Okay, yeah; that's pretty terrible."

* * *

Even though Margot insisted that they focus on their field study tasks, Group A couldn't help but feel a bit curious about the situation and so they made a slight detour to visit the Grand Market. Once they arrived, they were met with the familiar scene of a crowd gathering in front of two merchants arguing at each other. Manager Otto was also present, trying to stop the two people from fighting. As Louise had said earlier, two stalls, one in the front and one in the back, had been completely destroyed and the merchandise gone. Group A attempted to reason with the two merchants, who also happened to be the same merchants from yesterday, but to no avail.

Eventually, matters were resolved when the provincial army arrived and stopped the merchants from escalating further, although saying that matters were resolved would be overstating it. The truth was that they only threatened the merchants into backing down before leaving without saying another word, not even thinking of helping to clean up the mess afterwards or, better yet, helping to solve the underlying issue. After assisting the market in their place, Group A went with Otto back to his home where they could discuss the situation in greater length.

"It would seem the problems facing the merchants in this town are quite grave indeed," Laura said. "The provincial army may have intervened, but it's difficult to believe they'd make no attempts to find an amicable solution."

"It's clear that they have no intention of trying to resolve any issues involving the market unless they accept the tax increase." Gaius had the faintest hint of disappointment in his voice.

Alisa was a bit more vocal about her feelings. "You'd think they'd at least be a little more...subtle about the whole thing. There's no way those two merchants are just going to accept this and move on."

"No, I don't suppose they will." Otto solemnly agreed. "And if word gets out about this, it's not inconceivable for certain groups of people to begin boycotting the marketplace. Something definitely has to be done, but…" He clasped his hands together. "I'm just not sure what."

"..."

All eyes turned towards Rean, who had remained quiet for the duration of their discussion.

"Is something the matter, Rean?" Gaius addressed to his male friend. "You've been awfully quiet."

"Are you feeling unwell?" Otto asked to make sure.

Rean looked at the market manager. "Sir, I have a favor to ask," he finally said. "Would you consider allowing us to investigate this morning's incident?"

His words surprised everyone in the room. "You want us to find the people who destroyed those stalls?" Morgan double-checked to make sure she understood Rean's proposition.

"It's a kind offer, but as I said yesterday, this is our affair, not yours." Otto shook his head. "You're students. You have your own studies to worry about, and I wouldn't feel right interfering with them."

"We're students training for the military, though," Rean countered. "We can't just stand by and allow something so unjust to go unchallenged. It's the provincial army's responsibility to address this, sure, but they're shirking their duties here, and that reflects poorly on us all.

"Th-that's true, I guess, but…" Alisa remained unsure. "Do you really think we're up for something like this? At the end of the day we're just...amateurs."

"It would be prudent to talk to Instructor Sara first to see what she would say," Laura suggested.

"...No, she already told us what we need to do." Morgan cut in, having put the pieces together. "'Put your heads together and think, and I'm sure you'll see what you need to do.' Honestly, I'm not sure if she can tell the future or if she's just really smart, but this sounds like the sort of thing she told us to watch out for."

"My thoughts exactly." Rean beamed at his classmate. "When looked at it that way, this falls under the scope of our field study."

"That IS a rather valid argument," Gaius noted.

"Honestly, I'm still not sure we're up to it," Alisa said cautiously. "But...I guess it can't hurt to try."

"Neither seek nor shun the fight…" Laura muttered to herself. "Very well. We shall do what we can."

"Are you really sure about all this?" Having heard Class VII give their consent, the market manager spoke to ensure that they weren't turning back. "I'm certainly not going to say no, as I'm very concerned about the market and the safety of our merchants. So if you're one hundred percent sure, I have to admit, I truly would appreciate anything you can do for us."

"Thank you, sir," Rean thanked the market manager. "We'll do everything in our power to find answers for you."

"We're all amateurs, sure, but at least that's better than a bunch of professionals doing nothing," Morgan quipped.

* * *

Thus, Group A began their investigation. Moving to the Grand Market, their first move was to interrogate the merchants whose stalls were destroyed. They first found the merchant from the capital, who introduced himself as Heinz, and asked if he could give his alibi. Having calmed down substantially since the last time they saw him, Heinz told the students that he had left his stall set up last night and went back to Heimdallr afterwards. Once he came back the following morning, his stall had been plundered and his goods stolen. Additionally, he showed the students one of his last remaining samples: a wristband accessory made of metal.

Next, they walked over to the back area of the market to find the local merchant, who introduced himself as Marco. Compared to Heinz, Marco was still upset at the recent turn of events, but he begrudgingly told his side of the story. After settling the matter with the stalls the previous day, Marco left the market and stayed over at a fellow merchant's house, getting very drunk in the process. After waking up the next morning with a hangover, he wandered over to the market where he immediately sobered up at the sight of his stall in shambles and all of his goods stolen. As such, Marco didn't have any goods to show to the students, but he told them that his stock consisted mostly of locally processed foods.

With two alibis under their belt, the students sat down around a table in the resting area to go over what they learned.

"So to recap…" Morgan began. "After the incident yesterday, Heinz left to return to the capital while Marco went and got drunk at a friend's place. Both of them were in different places during the time of the crime, and when they did come back to the market, both of their stalls had already been destroyed."

"Both merchants certainly have adequate motive to damage the other's stall…" Laura noted. "But the chance of both committing the same crime on the same night, without crossing paths, is virtually nil."

"Not to mention that neither merchant could stand to gain anything from destroying their own stall," Gaius added.

"It's not impossible that they were just out to steal each other's merchandise, but I don't believe that's what happened," Alisa said. "Both of them have alibis confirming that they were somewhere else when the crime took place.

"I'm inclined to agree." Rean picked at his forehead. "I just can't see either of these merchants being responsible for what happened."

"So we're going to have to elsewhere for possible suspects," Gaius concluded. "The question, though, is where?"

The students all began to think on where they could find some leads.

"You know…" Morgan said after a bit. "There IS one thing that's been bugging me." That piqued the attention of her classmates. "There's one group of people involved in this whole situation whose actions don't seem to make any sense. If we can work out the reasoning behind their behavior, we can come one step closer to finding our culprit."

"And who might you be referring to?" Gaius wondered.

"Oh, I see what you're getting at." Rean cupped his chin. "You're talking about the provincial army, right?"

Morgan nodded. "Got it in one. As we heard from Manager Otto, they haven't done a thing to try and solve this crime, despite it happening right under their noses, due to the tax issue. Which begs the question…" She paused for dramatic effect. "Why did they choose now of all times to intervene?"

The other members of Group A widened their eyes at the realization. "Now that you mention it, that really doesn't make any sense," Alisa agreed. "Their methods were atrocious, but the fact is, they brought this morning's dispute to an end almost instantly. They did get involved."

"One minute they're refusing to do anything, then the next they're taking a stand," Gaius commented. "It's certainly suspicious."

"There's definitely something unnatural about the way they're conducting themselves," Morgan concurred. "Since we've got no other leads, what say you we all go to the army's guardhouse and take a look around?"

No one made any objections, so the group got up from their table and walked over to the provincial army guardhouse, located right next to the Grand Market. It was a two-story building with the emblem of the Kreuzen Province posted above the entrance. A guard in uniform was standing outside the doorway and noticed the group of students walking towards the guardhouse.

"Hmm? Aren't you those students from that...military academy, was it?" he asked, recognizing the students' uniform. "What are you doing here?"

"We're terribly sorry to trouble you," Morgan said politely, "but we were hoping you might be able to help us with something. Could we ask you a few questions about the incident that occurred at the Grand Market this morning?"

"...What?" The soldier understandably looked confused. "What does that have to do with you?"

Thanks to some quick thinking on Laura's part, the students were able to convince the guard that they came under the pretense of learning how, as military students, the provincial army can handle difficult everyday situations such as the one that occurred earlier. The guard entered the guardhouse to call for someone and a few moments later, the commanding officer came out to meet them. Just as the students expected, the officer wasn't enthused by their sudden appearance and tried to intimidate them by dodging every question they tried to throw at him before talking about how the provincial army's first job is to uphold the will of their ruling lord and follow orders; anything regarding the province's citizens was deemed unimportant.

"So, is that it, then?" the officer impatiently said. "I hope this has been...enlightening. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a job to do."

Right as he was about to turn around and leave, Morgan stopped him. "Wait." The officer waited. "Would you mind answering one last question?"

As the other members of Group A turned to look at Morgan in confusion, the officer begrudgingly turned around. "Fine. Ask it."

"Answer me this…" Morgan began. "Do you really have no idea what could have happened to the goods Marco was handling? I'm talking about the accessory shop merchant."

The officer raised an eyebrow. "Hmm? What are you talking about? That merchant from the capital, Heinz, was the one who was planning on selling accessories."

"Wh-what?" Rean was surprised, as were the other students.

"That's all we needed to know," Morgan abruptly said before stepping in front of her classmates and turning around. "Thank you for your time, gentlemen! You can go back to your regularly scheduled activities. Let's go, guys!" With that, she spread her arms and tried as best as she could to herd her classmates and make a hasty retreat back to the inn. She hoped that the soldiers didn't notice the sly grin that had appeared on her face.

* * *

"Okay, that settles it," Alisa said. "They definitely know something!" Group A was currently sitting on the couch in their inn room.

"The fact that they know what each of the merchants was selling means they did investigate the matter after all." Rean stroked his chin. "But the burglary happened last night, and it was only first discovered this morning, so realistically, I don't think there was any opportunity during that time for them to do any digging. Not without running into us."

"Agreed." Laura nodded her head. "I suspect they knew what each merchant was planning to sell well in advance of yesterday's incident."

"If the duke was the one who issued permits to both those stalls, then it stands to reason that the provincial army would have known about it as well," Gaius concurred.

"Which begs the question…" Alisa paused. "Why would they bother looking at those transaction records?"

"They needed to know beforehand so they could prepare for all of this in advance," Morgan discerned. "Maybe I'm thinking too hard on this, but everything that's been happening at the market seems to have been planned out for a while now. The two merchants being given permits for the same spot was just a setup so that while everyone was fighting amongst each other, they could get robbed without them knowing, thus creating a situation that required the army to intervene."

"And in the meantime, the provincial army will show no interest in actively working toward a solution, unless…" Laura furrowed her eyebrows. "The market manager chooses to withdraw his petition."

"So they waited for things to get out of hand, then showed up to force both parties into an uncomfortable truce," Alisa summarized. "Eventually, the merchants would get worn down enough that they'd feel like they have no choice but to withdraw the petition."

"Those two merchants were being used all along…" Gaius grimaced. "This is turning out to be an even shadier situation than I imagined…"

"Yeah…" Rean shook his head in disbelief. "But thanks to Morgan, I do believe we've finally uncovered the truth of the matter."

"That was indeed some very quick thinking you displayed, Morgan," Laura commended her. "You'd make a fine military strategist."

Hearing that made Morgan beam with pride. "Hehe...I try my best. Anyways, now that we know that the provincial army is involved with the actual criminals, the only thing we need to do now is to find and catch them." Morgan's smile faded. "...Which, unfortunately, is easier said than done."

"Personally, I think we can rule out anyone from the army," Laura said. "The soldiers here are far too proud to dirty their hands with such escapades."

"I tend to agree," Alisa concurred. "Really, whoever the culprits are, I doubt they're still here in Celdic. There just aren't many viable places to hide such a huge volume of goods without being found."

"It's been less than a day since the burglary happened, so they couldn't have gotten very far yet," Gaius noted. "Might I suggest we ask around while we work on our field study tasks?"

"That sounds like a wise course of action," Laura agreed. "We have yet to progress any of them, after all."

"Then let's do that." Rean retrieved the envelope carrying their field study tasks. "We'll work on these tasks first, and in the meantime, we'll ask around to see if anyone saw anything out of the ordinary." He laid the envelope's contents onto the table. "We've got another monster extermination request and a referral about a lost wallet. That's one less than the amount we had yesterday. Let's see, what time is it right now…"

Alisa looked to the clock hanging on the far wall in their room. "It's...already five past nine! How does time fly by so quickly?"

"The last train to Trista comes to Celdic at 9:00 P.M., so we've got less than twelve hours to finish both of these tasks and find the culprit." Morgan looked at the documents. "We could try splitting up," she eventually suggested. "One group can handle the wallet and the other can handle the monster extermination."

"You wish to divide our forces?" Laura asked to make sure. "That's a risky move."

"It's certainly is," Rean admitted, "but two groups means we also get to cover more ground, just like in the old schoolhouse. Besides, we need all the time we can get, so I say we take it."

"It does seem like the most efficient way to do things," Alisa remarked.

"Whatever the rest of you decide, I will follow," Gaius said. "I was the one who suggested the idea, after all."

Laura relented. "Very well, then. I will work to the best of my ability."

"Right, so here's how I was thinking we could split up the groups…" Morgan picked up the conversation. "Rean, Laura, and I will handle the monster. Meanwhile, Gaius and Alisa can take care of the wallet. We can set up a meeting time afterwards." She looked to her teammates. "Any objections?"

None were made. Thus, Group A gathered their belongings, double-checked their equipment, and moved to leave the inn. Before all of them left the front door, Morgan turned to Alisa and Gaius and whispered to them, "Don't worry. I'll keep an eye on them."

* * *

Once the students split up into their individual groups, Rean, Laura, and Morgan headed towards the market manager's house to obtain more information about the monster they would be hunting. Otto was more than happy to oblige and gave the students a description and the general location of the creature. The group also reported their findings on this morning's incident for the time being and assured him that they were doing everything they could to resolve the issue. With the new information in hand, the students left the town.

"Wait," Rean said after taking only a few steps onto the highway. His voice came abruptly, startling Morgan and Laura. "Before we go find the monster, I need to do something first."

"And what might that be?" Laura asked.

Rean turned to face her. "I wanted to apologize for what I said to you yesterday evening."

Laura's face didn't change expression, the only alteration being a slight raise of her eyebrow. "As I told you then, this is a matter you must come to terms with on your own. It is not something for which an apology is required."

"That's...not really what I mean." Rean shook his head. "I wanted to apologize for making light of the way of the sword."

Now Laura really was surprised. Her eyes widened at the swordsman's unexpected reply.

"What I said about being a 'dropout who's never been able to progress past beginner level' was disrespectful," Rean continued. "It was disrespectful to Master Ka-fai, to the school I follow, and to the path of the sword itself. And for those reasons, I feel it was inappropriate of me to say what I said. So…" He bowed forward ninety degrees. "I'm sorry."

A few moments went by without any student saying a word.

"If that's the case," Laura finally said, "then there is one other person you should be apologizing to as well."

Rean voiced his confusion as Laura motioned for him to stand upright and look her in the eyes.

"I can't pretend to know much about your personal circumstances," Laura admitted. "But regardless of one's background or social standing, one should always be able to live with pride in him or herself. Thus, if you truly did make light of yourself and your own abilities, then that is an act of shame for which you owe yourself recompense."

Those words hung in the air, having rung deep into Rean's conscience.

Laura's expression then softened. "Let me ask you a question, Rean: do you like the path of the sword?"

Despite its simple phrasing, it was a difficult question to answer. Rean's hand instinctively touched the handle of his sheathed sword as he pondered the question. "It's not really a matter of liking it or disliking it, I don't think," he eventually answered. "It's a part of my life...an inseparable part of who I am."

Perhaps it wasn't a perfect answer, but it was a satisfactory one nonetheless. "That's all I wanted to hear." Laura nodded approvingly and smiled. "I feel exactly the same way."

Off to the side, neglected, Morgan hummed to herself. 'What do you know? There really was nothing to worry about after all…'

* * *

" _There's a lot he doesn't want to talk about, huh?" Alisa sadly remarked as she closed the door behind them._

" _That's the last thing I want to hear from you, Miss Mystery Initial," Morgan quipped as she sat on her bed. "But yeah, it's almost like he's bottling something up and trying really hard to keep anyone else from noticing."_

" _So you've noticed it too?" Gaius removed his blazer vest. "It only acted up on occasion so I was unsure at first, but I can sense there's a great unease in him."_

" _I just wish there was something we could do to help him…" Alisa walked over to her bed._

" _My, you've taken quite an interest in him, haven't you?" Morgan teased, causing Alisa to blush slightly and try to refute her claims. "I sort of get where you're coming from though," she eventually relented. "It's not easy having a dark secret that could potentially harm your relationships with others. You were just trying to look out for him, weren't you?"_

 _Alisa blinked in confusion for a moment before recomposing herself. "S-sure, let's go with that."_

 _Gaius looked at the two girls. "Is there something that I'm missing here?"_

 _Morgan winked and put a finger on her lips. "Just a little secret between women. Don't think too hard about it."_

" _If you insist." Gaius respected her words and didn't pry further. "Still, it would be best if we resolve this as soon as possible."_

" _I know that Laura's really straightforward, but sometimes she's so direct it hurts." Alisa rubbed her arms. "Maybe we should tell her to dial it down a bit…"_

" _That's just the way she was brought up," Morgan reminded Alisa. "It's difficult to change something like that overnight, so I wouldn't bother. Besides, the way I see it, cold, hard facts from someone who can relate to him is exactly what Rean needs to reevaluate himself. It hurts, but it's very effective when used correctly." She laid down on her bed. "So, I wouldn't worry about those two as much as, for say, Machias and Jusis. I'm sure they'll make up by themselves eventually; their pride as swordsmen is too great for them to avoid each other for too long. All we can do is look on and try to push them in the right direction."_

 _Alisa let out a minor scoff. "That's surprisingly mature, coming from you."_

 _Morgan jerked up. "What's that supposed to mean?!"_

* * *

Though she would have liked for this peaceful moment to last a bit longer, Morgan reminded herself that they still had a job to do, and cleared her throat. "Hate to be the third wheel here, but if the two of you are done making up, maybe we can start our search for the monster?"

Her comment snapped the two sword users back to reality. "Oh, yes. My apologies."

"Sorry about that."

Morgan snickered. "There's no need to apologize any more than you have, Rean."

"Wh-why are you singling me out?" he demanded to know.

"Eh...couldn't help it, I guess?" She shrugged her shoulders. "Face it, Rean: you've got a knack for getting yourself into trouble. You should be more careful next time. But I digress; let's go."

She skipped ahead of Rean and Laura, leaving the two sword users to catch up to her.

'Pride in oneself, huh?' Laura's words to Rean resounded in Morgan's mind. 'Maybe I should try doing that sometime…'

* * *

Eventually, the teens found the monster they were looking for on the stone bridge leading to Heimdallr. It was a large bird of prey with thick, colored wings and sharp talons at the end of its long hindlimbs.

"Yup, that matches the manager's description, all right," Rean confirmed, looking at the task paper. "Its name is...'Zwordar'? Seriously? Who came up with that name?"

"I don't know," Laura replied, "but frankly that is unimportant right now."

Morgan took out her orbment and readied her weapon. "You two ztrike it with your zwordz, then I'll follow up with zome artz. Zound good?"

Rean turned to Morgan with a deadpan expression that screamed 'Really?'

"Come on, I had to."

"Whatever." Rean unsheathed his tachi. "All right; let's do this!"

With that motivating cry, an ARCUS link was tied between Rean and Laura and the two sword users charged towards the monster. Taking note of the incoming group, it let out a piercing screech and swooped to the ground with its talons pointed forward. Laura jumped in front of Rean, using her larger sword to fend off the monster's assault as it wrapped its claws around her blade. Thanking Laura for the cover, Rean hastily jumped to the side to try and attack from the bird's blind spot. However, its flapping wings were preventing him from getting a clean strike. Fortunately, an orb of water sailed past him and hit the creature in the beak, dazing it for a moment and allowing Rean to find an opening. He performed an upwards swing, striking the bird's side and loosening its grip on Laura's sword. Feeling the reduction in pressure, Laura pushed back and followed up with an attack of her own, leaping into the air and performing a jumping overhead swing as she landed.

Enraged, the giant bird shrieked and spun around furiously, sweeping Rean and Laura off their feets and pushing them back. Then, it flapped its giant wings and started ascending towards the sky.

Morgan was about to run and help her classmates, but Laura waved her away. "Don't worry about us!" she yelled. "Just don't let it escape!"

Indeed, the monster was already several feet above the ground and had begun flying away from the bridge towards the direction of the second half of the highway. Thinking quickly, Morgan put her ARCUS into her shirt pocket, retrieved her personal orbment from her pouch, and ran after the creature while hastily preparing an art. Within a few seconds, Morgan shot a mass of compressed air at the bird, aiming it slightly ahead so that the bird would fly straight into it. Thankfully, she calculated it perfectly and the art hit its mark, but unlike what happened with her previous attack, the bird simply shrugged off the art and kept flying.

'Funny, that usually works against flyers,' Morgan thought.

By this point, Morgan was secretly regretting leaving Alisa behind; her bow would have given them a serious edge in pinning down the flying creature. All she could do now was run, cast an art, and hope that it would be enough to catch the bird's attention, but she was facing a losing battle; her arts were either too weak or too slow to do any real damage and her stamina was decreasing by the second. Morgan wanted to look back to see if her classmates were catching up, but she was also worried that if she did, she would lose sight of the monster.

Finally, by some stroke of luck, the bird began to make its descent near the open area by the orbal lamp the students visited the previous day. Morgan breathed a sigh of relief and started preparing an art. Maybe she could catch it after all. Then she looked at where the bird was descending, watching as it lowered itself until it was a few inches above the ground...right into the middle of a flock of smaller bird monsters. With a loud squawk from the Zwordar, the smaller birds got into formation charged at the oncoming human.

Morgan growled through her teeth. "So that's how it's gonna be, huh? Fine! You axed for it!" She aimed her orbment at a bird and released an arrow of lightning upon it. Not a moment after the bird crumpled to the ground, Morgan rushed towards it while dodging all the other birds. Once she reached it, she brought down her weapon and swiftly ended the bird's life with a critical strike. As she did so, she felt a rush of energy flow through her, making her feel less fatigued than she did a few moments prior.

Now more alert, she stretched her axe to its two-handed form and started scanning her surroundings for the Zwordar, eventually spotting it resting off to the side. Before she could approach it, however, the remaining birds huddled up in a circle surrounding Morgan, barring her from advancing further.

"One of me, around six, seven of them," she counted. "Heh, no pressure, right?"

She put her hand on her orbment and activated it, an orbal aura appearing around her. On cue, a bird to Morgan's left flew forward with its talons pointed outwards. Keeping a steady hand on her orbment, Morgan sidestepped the attack and thrust her weapon forward, knocking the first bird out of the air. Then, she gripped her polearm and threw it backwards, hitting the second bird behind her. After retrieving her weapon as it hit the ground and stabbing the fallen monster a couple more times for good measure, Morgan finished preparing her art and released a bolt of lightning to down a third bird. As the four remaining birds swarmed her in an attempt to whittle her down with numbers, Morgan picked up the body of the fallen monster with her weapon like a skewer and flung it at the small flock, hitting one bird while dispersing the rest. In that moment of confusion, Morgan made her move, dashing forward and striking one bird through its chest before kicking off of it and leaping towards the other monsters. Upon landing on the ground, she swung her polearm one-handed in a half-circle around her and hitting the two remaining birds out of the air. Finally, she activated her orbment and moved to the last bird, which had just moved kicked the body that was flung towards it out of the way. By the time it lifted itself off the ground, however, Morgan had already reached it and let loose a flurry of stabs from her bardiche before performing a roundhouse swing that knocked the bird aside. Not a moment later, she pointed her orbment at the Zwordar as electricity began to emit from the device. Manifesting into a arrow of voltage, it shot forward and shocked the giant bird. Upon noticing that its entire flock had already been defeated, the giant bird of prey squawked and started to take to the skies again.

Morgan groaned, not at all ready for another wild Zwordar chase, but not a moment sooner two balls of fire soared over her head and hit the giant bird square in the face, making it crash back down to the ground. Hearing footsteps behind her, she took her eyes off the monster for a moment to see her classmates running towards her, their weapons and orbments in hand.

"Sorry to keep you waiting!" Rean apologized.

"You're late!" Morgan half-scoffed. "Where were you two?"

"Monsters got in our way," Laura summarized before noticing the bodies of dead monsters scattered around them. "I assume you were kept busy?"

"More or less," Morgan answered. "Haven't been able to take on the main monster yet, but fortunately I think I found a way to beat this thing."

"And what might that be?" Laura asked.

Morgan looked at Laura and Rean's orbments as she retrieved her ARCUS from her pocket. "Well, firstly, it's going to require that one of you pair up with me while the other hangs back. Secondly, it's going to require lots and lots of fire."

Both sword wielders looked to the devices in their hands and immediately understood. Laura volunteered to link with Morgan. "What about you?" Rean asked.

"I'll keep it occupied," she replied. "Wait till you get a clear shot, then we'll attack it once it's down."

"By yourself?" Laura had a tone of worry in her voice. "Morgan, you shouldn't push-"

She wouldn't get to finish her statement, as her classmate had already turned to face the Zwordar. "Hey, Featherface!" Morgan made a beckoning gesture with her weapon, daring it to attack her. The giant bird took Morgan's bait, letting out a loud screech before charging towards her with its talons pointed forward, but Morgan had anticipated this and deftly rolled to the side. She taunted the bird once more, and thus she and the monster began to play a game of cat and mouse. Looking to each other, Rean and Laura had no choice but to trust in Morgan and started preparing their arts.

* * *

For the remainder of the fight, Morgan drew the attention of the Zwordar while Rean and Laura hung back and cast arts whenever they could. Compared to Morgan's wind-based arts, the sword users' fire-based arts seemed to be more effective at halting the bird's oppression, and so when one art would connect with the monster, it would become dazed, giving Morgan and her partner a chance to perform a linked attack on the giant bird. This process would rinse and repeat itself until the Zwordar collapsed to the ground, too tired to fly any further. Sensing this critical moment, all three of the students rushed the monster and attacked together, Morgan with her furious hacking, Rean with his precise slashes, and Laura with her heavy swings. The Zwordar shrieked one last time before crumpling over, limp and dead.

Morgan was panting. "Is it over?"

Rean and Laura approached cautiously to verify. "Yes, I believe it is," the latter said.

"That's a relief…" With the battle over, Morgan felt all of the fatigue catch up to her and slumped to the ground. "That was way more exhausting than I thought it'd be."

"You definitely put in a lot of work. Good job." Rean sheathed his sword. "You want me to gather up the sepith for you?"

Morgan looked at her surroundings. The bodies of the smaller birds she slayed had already disappeared, leaving various crystals in their wake. She never really understood why this was the case, but she wasn't going to be complaining anytime soon. "If you could, I'd appreciate that."

Rean nodded and went to work on retrieving the small crystals. Laura, meanwhile, knelt beside her female classmate. "While I would also like to commend your efforts," the blue-haired girl said, "I feel I need to address something I've noticed about you."

"About me?" Morgan had just enough energy to perk up at the comment. "And that would be…?"

Laura took in a deep breath. "You…" Her face then contorted with concern. "...Leave yourself open far too often! And why did you assume such a dangerous position when you should have been fatigued? One wrong misstep and you could have been severely injured!"

Morgan was expecting a lot of things, but a verbal reprimanding was not one of them. "Well, I needed to study the monster's attack patterns, and I figured the best way to do that was to get up close and personal. I-it was in the heat of the moment, and we needed all the firepower we could get, so…"

Laura let out an exasperated sigh. "But even still, that was reckless of you. I'd even go as far as to surmise that that wasn't like you at all. If I didn't know better, I would have assumed that you were trying to prove a statement."

Morgan fiddled with her skirt. "I guess I...got a bit of an energy rush after fighting for a while; it happens sometimes. But yeah, I'll be more careful from now on."

Rean finally came back with a sizable pile of sepith crystals in his hands and passed them to Morgan for her to store in one of her pouches. "We can go over what went wrong later; what matters is that we're all safe. At any rate, you think you can walk back, Morgan?" He stretched out his hand, offering to help her up.

"I think I'll be fine." She took Rean's hand and hoisted herself up. "So long as we don't bump into any more fights on our way back to Celdic."

"That was our intention from the beginning," Laura said. "We should also let Alisa and Gaius know that we are finished on our end."

"Ah, you're right. I totally forgot." Rean took out his ARCUS and punched in some numbers on the communicator. After a couple of rings, a male voice spoke from the other side of the line. " _Hello? This is Gaius Worzel speaking._ "

"Hey, Gaius," Rean responded. "We just finished the task on our end. Are you two finished with yours?"

" _Almost,_ " Gaius answered. " _This task proved to be a bit more...arduous than Alisa and I would have expected, but we think the end is in sight._ "

"How much time does it take to return one lost wallet?" Morgan wondered aloud.

A low chuckle sounded over the communicator. " _That's a long story. But more importantly, while we were searching for the owner of the wallet, we talked with some of the locals, and I think we may have come across a piece of information that may prove vital to our investigation._ "

Rean's eyes widened. Morgan and Laura looked at each other with the same expression. "Wait, so you mean…"

" _It is as you think,_ " Gaius confirmed. " _Meet us near the central plaza; we believe we may have found a lead._ "

* * *

 **Author's note: It's been a while, hasn't it? Hope you all didn't forget that this existed. Unfortunately, the new school year has begun and with my school using the quarter system, it's been busy the past couple of weeks. With that said, this'll be a heads-up notice that updates for this story will be sporadic in the coming months. ｍ（｡≧ _ ≦｡）ｍ**  
 **Furthermore, it has also come to my attention that one of the biggest weaknesses of my writing is that I draw too heavily from the source material, making it play out just like the game except with a few digs at _Fire Emblem Awakening_. While I would argue that most fics involving new characters/AUs follow this format and that it's for doing what I know, I do see the inherent downsides as well, and so I will attempt to rectify this for future chapters. Again, this is the first story I have written that involves considerable thought put into it, so I do appreciate any and all constructive criticism that could help me improve.**  
 **Anyways, that is all for now. Hope to see you all sometime in the future, whenever that may be! (^-^)v**


	10. April 25th - Field Study Day 2, Pt 2

By the time Rean, Morgan, and Laura arrived back in Celdic, the sun was nearing its peak in the sky, signalling it was almost midday. The first order of business for the group was to report to the market manager of their successful skirmish against the monster, so they immediately took a right by the central plaza and entered his house. The manager thanked them again for their hard work and rewarded them with several pieces of strange material that, according to him, could be used to strengthen the effects of certain items like quartz. Given her connections to George, Morgan volunteered to handle the materials and put them into one of her pouches.

With their mission complete and their reward in hand, the students left the manager's house to find Alisa and Gaius, eventually spotting them standing near the entrance of the Grand Market. Upon reuniting with their two classmates, they all retreated back to the inn where Alisa and Gaius filled the others in on what happened on their end: while they were searching for the owner of the lost wallet, the pair happened upon a local girl comforting a small kitten while muttering something about a nasty man she never saw before. Taking this as an opportunity to gain some new information on a possible lead, Alisa and Gaius approached the girl and asked if she could tell them her story. The girl complied and explained how she and her cat encountered a man asleep by the west exit of the town that smelled so awful it nearly made her cat faint. More importantly, the man had apparently only appeared within the past few days, with the girl not recognizing who he was or where he came from. The students thanked the girl for her time and resumed their quest to find the owner of the lost wallet, making a note to check out the west exit once their task was complete.

As for the reason why returning the lost wallet took more time than expected, it was because the owner of the wallet, later revealed to be a travelling noble named Annabelle, kept moving around from location to location trying to search for it herself. They eventually did find Annabelle and succeeded in returning her lost property to her. From there, they made one final trek to the Grand Market to let the client who issued the request know that the wallet had returned to its rightful owner.

"It was like a wild goose chase," Alisa groaned. "But then again, if I was travelling by myself, I'd be panicking too if I suddenly lost all of my mira."

"Funny you should mention a wild goose chase," Morgan commented as she emptied the contents in her pouches into her lute case. "Cause the monster we fought happened to be a giant bird, and we had to chase it around the highway."

"That sounds rather taxing," Gaius remarked.

"It was," Rean confirmed. "We even had to deal with some smaller monsters that got in our way."

"In the end, though, we were able to pull through," Laura said. "The experience gave us much information on what we need to work on in the future." She subtly glanced in Morgan's direction, who tried her best not to pay attention.

"By the way…" Gaius raised his index finger and pointed it at both Rean and Laura. "I was hesitant on bringing this up, but I can't help but notice that both of you are getting along now. Did you make up?"

Both sword users looked at each other. "I guess...in a sense?" Rean spoke. "Though, there was never any rift between us that I knew about…"

"Indeed," Laura concurred. "This was all handled rather neatly, I felt."

Alisa sighed. "You're both so simple-minded. Now I feel like an idiot for spending so much time trying to devise a plan to get the two of you to make up…"

That surprised the both of them. "Wh-whoa, you did what, now?" Rean stammered.

"It would seem we've caused you undue concern." Laura sounded a bit amused.

"Hey, I told you they'd work it out, didn't I?" Morgan shrugged her shoulders.

"I suppose you're right," Gaius chuckled. "At any rate, I was just curious. Are the three of you rested now?"

"Yeah, we'll be fine," Rean answered. "It's around noon, so we really need to get going. You said that the man you're looking for was by the west exit, right? Was there someone sleeping by the road?"

"I do believe there was one person who was sitting on the ground drinking," Laura recalled. "Could he be the person you're looking for?"

"The girl we talked to did say he smelled nasty," Alisa recounted. "It's probably because of the alcohol. I guess the only way to know for sure is to go and see for ourselves."

* * *

The group ventured to the west exit to find a man sitting by the side of the road. Indeed, he was drinking. And indeed, he reeked of the stench of alcohol.

"It's only midday, and he's already completely blitzed!" Morgan remarked. "Reminds you of our instructor, doesn't he?"

"I don't think this is the criminal we're looking for," Rean admitted. "I think he'd...have trouble pulling off a robbery."

"So it's a bust then?" Alisa slumped her shoulders.

"Now, now. Let's at least talk to him to see if he knows anything." Gaius lowered himself slightly. "Excuse me, sir. Are you all right? We can help you back home, if you'd like."

The man looked up at him with heavily droopy eyes. "Y-yer a...foreigner?" He had an accent, though his constant swaying and slur made it difficult to understand him. "Laemme alone...I'm jus' a *hic* good fer nothin' who jus' *hic* los' his job…"

"I see." Gaius nodded calmly, undeterred by neither the man's inability to communicate nor his smell. "That must have been very hard for you."

"It was!" The man suddenly shouted. "Even when...lookin' after that *hic* nature park...wush my whole life!"

That caught the students' attention. "Nature park?" Laura repeated.

"He's probably talking about Lunaria Nature Park," Morgan discerned. "It was by the road lamp we went to yesterday. We had to chase the monster near there as well."

"Ohhh, you kids know it?" The drunken man managed a smile, however sloppy it was. "Y'see, I ushed ta be the park ranger for tha' old place…*hic*"

'Hoo boy, here come the old stories,' Morgan remarked in her mind as the man started to talk about his former job, about all of the years he spent toiling and pouring his soul into preserving the beauty of nature until one day, out of nowhere, the official from the provincial army informed him that he was sacked. As much as the students tried to get the man to finish his story so they could proceed with their investigation, they couldn't help but feel sorry for him. He seemed to be just as much of a victim of the recent conflicts as the merchants.

The man gripped a beer bottle beside him and put it to his lips, drinking some of the amber-colored liquid. "I swear, there's no way a bunch'a kids like that 're gonna do a better job 'n me!"

"Kids?" Alisa asked.

"Yup, kids! I was drinkin' here last night too, see." He pointed the hand holding the bottle to the direction of the West Celdic Highway. "A bunch'a kids in ranger uniforms went walkin' outta tha town through the west exit. Weird thing was, they was carryin' a bun'cha wooden boxes, too. In the middle o' the night!" He shook his head as he took another swig of beer. "Kids these days, I tell ya…"

His last comment wasn't heard by the students, as they were already huddled up together in a circle. "Hey, you don't think that could have been…" Alisa began.

"I believe so." Laura cupped her chin. "The nature park...I wouldn't have even considered it. We didn't even venture near it yesterday, but given its size, it would no doubt be a perfect hiding spot."

"Yeah, they'd have no trouble stashing the merchandise there undetected," Rean agreed. "And the fact that it was a provincial official who told him he was fired only makes Morgan's theory more plausible."

"So I guess our next stop is Lunaria Nature Park, then?" Morgan asked. "Can't believe we have to go back to the highway a third time…"

"Huh? I say somethin' useful or somethin'?" The drunken man spoke a bit louder to get the students' attention. "Dunno wha' I said, but if I helped y' out, why not buy me a drink?"

A bead of uneasy sweat collectively dropped from the students' heads. The man's resemblance to their instructor grew increasingly by the moment.

"You did help us out, sir," Gaius addressed the man, "but with all due respect, I don't think we'll be able to buy you anything."

"Awww, and I had some amazin' shtories to tell ya!" the man complained. He seemed desperate to keep his newfound audience's attention. "Y'all hear of the *hic* ruler of the foresht?"

"The what now?" Morgan asked. "Does that live in the park?"

The man took another sip of beer. "It lives deep in the foresht, alright. I've aaaaalwaysh been careful not to anger it." He started laughing. "Those damn youngshters...the ruler's gonna *hic* gobble them right up!"

"It sounds like quite the ferocious monster…" Laura commented to herself.

"P-Please tell me you're not actually thinking of going to fight this thing…" Alisa worried.

Laura paused for a moment, almost as if she really was considering to do just that, but eventually she shook her head. "As much as I think it would prove a good test of skill, we have more pressing matters to attend to. And as for you…" She directed her attention to the drunken man. "I would suggest you start trying to sober yourself up instead. There's a good chance we may be able to recover both your park and your job."

The man's droopy eyes shot open. "Whaaa…?!"

As the man stared at them, confused, Group A took this moment to take their long-awaited leave and rushed to their new destination.

* * *

Upon arriving to Lunaria Nature Park, Group A was surprised to find the entrance unmanned, the only thing preventing outsiders from entering being a tall steel gate locked shut by a giant keylock. While searching their surroundings, Alisa happened upon a bracelet with a similar design to the sample Heinz showed them back in Celdic.

"There's not a doubt in my mind that it was designed by the same person," Alisa confidently affirmed as she held the accessory in her hand. "Anyone care to give any second opinions?"

"I'm...hardly qualified to weigh in on recent trends…" Laura admitted, "but there do seem to be a number of similarities between this bracelet and the merchant's goods."

"So the fact that it's here means…" Morgan began.

"It's extremely likely the culprits we're looking for are inside this park." Rean finished.

"It certainly seems that way," Gaius agreed.

Laura stepped up to the gate to inspect the lock. "It only opens from the inside," she deduced. "I suppose that leaves us with little choice…" After muttering those words, she took a few steps back and drew her greatsword.

"A-Are you going to destroy it?!" Alisa stammered.

"The lock seems quite solid," the swordswoman responded, "but my sword should be able to-"

"Wait." The other sword wielder stopped her, putting his hand on his own blade. "I'll do it. I can get it done more quietly."

"Oh?" Laura voiced her curiosity. The other students also wondered what Rean was going to do as he motioned for Laura to step out of the way. Eventually, she complied and moved to the side to watch Rean from a careful angle as he assumed a familiar stance, ready to draw his tachi from his sheath. "The Eighth Leaves One Blade school's fourth form: Autumn Leaf Cutter." Upon the announcement of his technique, Rean entered a state of complete focus. The students held a collective breath in suspense until suddenly Rean drew his tachi, striking the lock in one fluid motion in the blink of an eye. About a second later, the metal bar holding the lock together cleanly fell to the ground, with the rest of the lock following shortly after.

"Seriously?!" Alisa was the first to express her surprise at Rean's impressive feat.

Morgan couldn't hold herself back from applauding. "That...was awesome."

Gaius nodded his head in approval. "You cut it right in two without nary a sound, just as promised."

Rean breathed a sigh of relief. "I did...thankfully." He hesitantly added that last word as he re-sheathed his sword.

"...Spectacular." Laura spoke at last with a hint of wonder in her voice. "It's an honor bearing witness to one of the skills of the Eight Leaves school."

Whatever hesitance remained on Rean vanished after hearing those words of praise from his fellow sword user. Rean rubbed the back of his head nervously and blushed slightly. "W-well, it's not like it's the first time I used that technique, and I really am still just a beginner…" Rean stopped and shook his head, having caught himself downplaying his efforts once more. "Anyway, we don't have much time left. Let's head inside and see if we can find them."

With their morale increased at the passing of another obstacle in their path, Group A opened the gates and entered the nature park.

* * *

The walk through Lunaria Nature Park was not as easy as Group A would have liked. Perhaps it was due to the criminals who had recently made the park their base, but there were several monsters wandering about the main path outside of their usual habitat, and several of them were agitated enough to attack the students on sight. Thus, Group A had to constantly remain on high alert as they trekked through the dense woodlands, which was a shame since everything else about the nature park was peaceful and pleasing to the eyes. If it weren't for the fact that they were currently pursuing criminals, the students would have loved to take in the scenery. Gaius especially seemed disappointed that he couldn't take the time to capture the forest's image on a canvas.

What felt like hours passed until the students reached what seemed to be the most remote regions of the park. Rean and Gaius, who were walking in the front, both stood still in their tracks, suddenly alert.

"Guys?" Alisa asked them. "Is something wrong?"

"I can sense others nearby," Gaius responded. "Not monsters; other humans."

"It looks like we've reached the most remote regions of the park." Rean put a cautionary hand on his weapon. "We must be getting close."

"Sense…?" Alisa sounded perplexed.

"The results of years of training, I'm guessing," Morgan hypothesized.

The students inched forward carefully to the next area, hugging close to natural rock formations. In the clearing ahead of them, they spotted four people wearing ranger outfits huddled together in a circle in front of several wooden crates. Two of the crates were open, with one crate revealing some display items for jewelry and another holding an array of processed foods. Without a doubt, these were the criminals the students were searching for.

"There they are." Laura put her hand on the handle of her sword. "What shall we do?"

Alisa squinted her eyes, zeroing in on the guards' weapons. "They've got guns. Short-ranged rifles from the looks of them. I don't think running in there's a good idea."

Morgan looked at the dense forest surrounding the small clearing. "We can use the scenery to our advantage," she suggested. "Circle around them and ambush them."

"Four of them, five of us," Rean listed. "If one of them notices us, we're all done for."

"Unfortunately, I'm not sure if I'll be of much help in the stealth department," Gaius apologized, holding his spear. "They'll spot us for sure if I bring this."

"It is the same with me," Laura said. "We'll also need to be careful not to damage any of the merchants' goods."

Morgan pressed her finger to her temple. Eventually, an idea popped into her head. "Then I guess you guys will have to be our distraction."

"A distraction?" Gaius reiterated.

"I'm not sure I like where this is going…" Alisa worried.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures, right?" Morgan reasoned. "Unless you can come up with a better option?"

Alisa thought for a moment, but eventually shook her head. Morgan motioned for her classmates to huddle up in a circle. "Then gather round, everyone. I've got a plan."

* * *

The fake park rangers were all smiling amongst themselves. "Not half bad for a night's work," one of them said.

"And if those idiots don't withdraw the petition, we'll be able to make even more!" another one added.

"Don't get carried away now," the third ranger cautioned. "We get a reward for all this anyway. We're making out just fine as it is."

"We just need to be ready to abandon this place at a moment's notice," the fourth person said. "Best if we don't worry about what goes on in the town."

"You're not going anywhere!" said a young male's voice.

The fake rangers turned in surprise to the direction of the voice. Three teenagers wearing red-colored school uniforms entered into the clearing, each of them armed with a melee weapon.

"S-Students?!" the first ranger exclaimed. "How'd they get in here?!"

"I know I locked the gate…" the second ranger recalled.

"Don't tell me you broke in!" the third ranger realized.

"Indeed we did," the lone female of the students said, her blue hair as long as the sword she was carrying.

"It looks like the stolen goods are all here, too," the tallest student noted. He carried a long spear and had tan skin.

"We've caught you red-handed," the final student affirmed. He pointed his sharp-looking sword at the criminals. "I'd suggest you surrender now."

Growling, one ranger picked up his weapon. "As if! Men? Let's take 'em out!"

"They're just kids!" another ranger said as he retrieved his firearm. "And there's only three of them to boot! We've got 'em outnumbered!"

"And since we're all alone out here, ain't nobody gonna see a thing!" The third ranger flashed an evil grin.

"Hope you're ready for the beating of your lives!" the fourth ranger shouted.

"I highly doubt we'll be the ones to endure a beating here today," the long-haired female responded coolly. Her eyes moved slightly to look in a different direction. "Especially when you're misreading the situation."

"Huh?" The fake rangers were confused.

The female looked at her fellow swordsman, who nodded affirmatively. He lowered his sword and swung it front of him twice before sheathing it. "There may be three of us right now, but as long as we stick together…"

"...They don't stand a chance," the tall spearman finished.

* * *

Morgan watched from her position behind a tree as Rean pointed his sword at the four criminals. Taking that as the signal to start getting ready, she glanced towards the other side of the clearing, where Alisa hid among the bushes out of the thieves' sight. The archer raised her bow slightly from her position, indicating she was ready to go. Nodding, Morgan stuck the handle of her axe like a tree branch and waved it three times. Veering to the side, she caught Laura glancing up at her subtly before looking to Rean, who nodded. With that cue, Morgan retreated back to behind the tree and closed her eyes.

Under normal circumstances, the average time it would take for Morgan to cast her lowest-level art would be around ten seconds. However, the criminals looked like they were about ready to attack at any second, so she needed to find some way to shorten her casting time or else they would open fire and endanger her classmates. Had she begun casting earlier, she would have given away her position among the foliage, and the plan would fail as a result.

Fortunately for her and unbeknownst to her other classmates, Morgan had just the right trick up her sleeve, and as she mentioned earlier, desperate times called for desperate measures.

Putting away her ARCUS in exchange for her personal orbment, she took a deep breath and focused her mind. As Morgan silently called to the power that lay dormant within her and willed it to simmer into existence, she began to feel a familiar warmth flow through her.

 _ ***Insert song: "Opposing Bloodlines (Castlevania: Rondo of Blood)"***_

"Now then…" she muttered as the faint tinges of flames started to appear across her body. "It's time for me to even the odds."

* * *

"Heh, you're just talking big!" One of the fake rangers said. "You're done!"

Right before he could open fire, two green, arc-shaped projectiles came from the left and hit the ground with a great enough force to knock the fake ranger of his feet. The other fake rangers scrambled in a panic.

"Wh-what was that?!" One of them shouted.

"A sniper in the woods!" One ranger pointed in the direction the attack came from. "It came from over there!"

He raised his rifle to shoot, but not a moment later, an arrow came flying at a high speed and knocked the gun from his hands, causing him to yelp.

"Another one?!" The third ranger glanced to the side. "There! I see her! Blonde hair!"

"You won't do a thing!" Gaius roared as he thrust forward with his spear, unleashing his Gale Stinger. The fake ranger tried to shield himself from the wind projectile but to no avail, and he was sent flying.

The final ranger tried to go and help his comrades, but he was stopped when another arc-shaped projectile flew at his feet. He narrowly dodged to the side and was about to open fire until he heard a voice in his ear. "Too slow!" Unbeknownst to him, Rean had managed to sneak up to him amidst the chaos and wasted no time in disarming him and slicing his rifle in half. Laura, meanwhile, had gone after the second ranger, who had managed to recover his gun. Every time he would try to fire, however, an arrow would fly past him, preventing him from getting a clear shot until Laura was at a close-enough distance to knock the firearm away from his hands.

Within the span of a few minutes, all four of the criminals were rounded up, tied together, and disarmed. Rean waved his hand in the air, signalling that it was safe for Morgan and Alisa to come out from their spots in the forest. As much as the students would have wanted to congratulate each other, they weren't out of the woods just yet, figuratively and literally.

"This has got to be some kind of joke…" one of the criminals finally said. "They're KIDS!"

"They fight pretty dirty, too…" another one remarked.

"Wow. Rude, much?" Morgan looked appalled. "It's called 'tactics'; maybe you should look it up sometime."

"How pitiful." Laura gave the fake rangers a stern glare. "That barely even qualifies as a warmup."

"Well, when you're used to Instructor Sara's training exercises, warmups take on a whole new meaning," Alisa joked.

The other students couldn't help but crack a smile at that.

"Anyways…" Rean directed his attention to the fake rangers. "Bottom line is: we won. Once again, I'd suggest you surrender yourselves and apologize to everyone in the Grand Market for all the trouble you've caused."

"We'll be returning those stolen goods to their rightful owners, too," Morgan added.

"We would also be very interested to learn who hired you," Laura followed up.

"You must be out of your minds if you really think you've won!" one of the rangers growled.

 _ ***Insert song end***_

Gaius's ears perked up. "Hm?"

The other students turned to their distracted classmate. "What's wrong, Gaius?" Alisa asked.

He shook his head. "Sorry, but I can't help but feel like I just heard something in the distance. It sounded like...a flute?"

Not a moment later, a loud roar that clearly did not sound like a flute erupted from somewhere in the forest.

"Uh...what was THAT?!" Morgan asked the question that was on everyone's minds.

"It sounded like the cry of an enormous beast…" Laura guessed.

The ground started to rumble as pounding footsteps began to grow louder by the second. The bandits started to panic. "I-It's coming this way!" one of them stammered.

"And what exactly is 'it'?" Rean demanded to know.

Gaius gripped his spear tight. "Everyone, here it comes!"

 _ ***Insert song: "Incoming! (Xenoblade 2)"***_

Out of the forest, a giant creature leapt and crashed into the clearing, gradually turning around to look at the assembled humans with pale yellow eyes. Judging from its body shape and face, the creature appeared to be a giant baboon, except its arms were long enough to support it running on all four limbs. Covered in fur with stone-like protrusions attached to its shoulders along with horns and razor-sharp teeth, the creature fit every criteria of the "dangerous monster" category.

'Huh. So that's it,' Rean thought.

Compared to just a moment before, the criminals appeared to be genuinely scared for their lives. "It's...the ruler of the forest!"

"So this is the ruler of the forest that guy mentioned…" Rean recalled their discussion with the drunken man back in Celdic.

"I-It's huge…" Alisa gazed both in awe and in fear.

"Well, how about that? Looks like we get to fight this thing after all!" Morgan quipped as she turned to Laura. "It's your lucky day, Laura!"

"If this were any other situation, it would have been!" Laura readied her blade and looked to Rean. "What would you suggest, Rean?"

Rean glanced at the fake rangers cowering in fear and then at the stolen goods in the crates. He let out a reluctant sigh. "Well, they may be thieves, but we can't leave them here to die. Looks like we're going to have to fight it!"

"Understood!" "A-All right!" "Okay!" "Aidios, watch over us…" Laura, Alisa, Morgan, and Gaius all voiced their own words of assurement.

A loud roar from the monster signaled the beginning of the fight. Group A broke off into their small groups from before, Rean, Laura, and Gaius in the front and Morgan and Alisa in the back, and scattered. Rean and Gaius linked up first, and together with Laura they surrounded the monster in a triangle. The monster made the first move, standing on its hind legs and raising its arm towards Laura. Reacting to its posture, she deftly rolled to the side to dodge the monster's attack before stabbing the baboon's side. Growling, it used its other arm to swat Laura away, forcing her to pull out her sword and retreat. From afar, Alisa climbed up to a small perch beneath a tree and linked up with Morgan. Together, they began casting and unleashing a myriad of orbal arts to snipe the monster from a safe distance, allowing Laura to back away safely.

As the baboon's attention was diverted, Gaius took the next initiative, slashing once with his spear and then thrusting forward to pierce the monster's backside. Following up, Rean brought down his tachi on the monster's right leg. The monster roared once more and spun around furiously, knocking both attackers a fair distance away before they could withdraw, and set its sights on the two long-range attackers. Noticing that the monster was now coming for them, Morgan stopped casting arts and lengthened her axe into its polearm form while Alisa readied her orbal bow and frantically started firing arrows at the monster. Though her arrows consistently hit their mark, her attacks didn't seem to faze the gigantic baboon, and it charged right through them like they were small bugs. Morgan lowered her stance, preparing to move out of the way as soon as the monster drew near to find an opening, but the monster smartly anticipated this. As Morgan sidestepped, it hopped and shifted its body so that it landed facing her direction. Morgan could only widen her eyes in surprise before the baboon swung its arms and sent her skidding across the ground. The impact of the blow was so great that it broke the ARCUS link between her and Alisa.

"Morgan!" Alisa called to her teammate. "You'll pay for that!" Drawing her bowstring back, the bolt that manifested from her bow started to glow red. "Turn to flames!" Upon releasing it, the bolt turned into a flaming arrow and flew straight at the monster's neck. Feeling the searing heat from the attack, the primate howled in pain and angrily turned to the direction of the archer. Before Alisa could jump away from her perch, the monster charged forward to her position and rammed into the rocks, knocking her off-balance and causing her to teeter over the ledge dangerously.

Rean, too far away to do anything, cried his classmate's name. "Alisa!"

Having gotten up and seeing his classmate in danger, Gaius made his move. Dashing as fast as he could, he hurled his spear, hitting the monster in the face, and dropped to his knees, managing to catch Alisa princess-style before she could hit the ground. Laura, too, was already in motion, leaping once more into the fray to cover Gaius as he retreated with their classmate in tow.

Alisa blushed slightly. "Th-Thanks."

Gaius flashed a smile. "My pleasure." He set her down before going to retrieve his fallen weapon.

After breathing a sigh of relief, Rean went over to Morgan, who was trying to support herself from the ground using her weapon. "Hey! Need a hand?"

Morgan was clutching her chest. "I'll be fine. That monkey got me real good, though." Slowly, she stood upright. "More importantly, we need to find a way to beat that thing fast."

Rean took a step back to assess the situation. Laura was currently exchanging blows with the monster alongside Gaius, who had retrieved his weapon, while Alisa supported them with arrows from the rear. Though they were able to keep the beast at bay, it was getting dangerously close to the goods and the bandits, who were still cowering in fear.

"That attack from Alisa looked like it hit a weakness," Rean noted. "Do you have any fire quartz?"

"Fire?" Morgan noticeably grimaced. "...No, I don't have anything like that."

"I see…" Rean looked at his classmates fighting the monster. The situation was becoming more dire by the moment; if there was ever a time to take action, it was now. "Then it looks like I've got no choice…"

 _ ***Insert song end***_

"Rean?" Morgan asked hesitantly.

The critical situation at hand caused childhood memories started to resurface in Rean's mind. The scenery changed from a forest to a snowy landscape. In the place of the rangers sat a young girl, looking on with scared eyes. The tachi in his hands turned into a small machete.

'No, I can't let the past get to me,' Rean thought to himself. 'Laura's right; I need to stop holding myself back!'

"But, you know…" Morgan responded with a small voice. "If we don't have any other options, I do have something I can-"

"Morgan," Rean interrupted his classmate. "Can you still fight?"

The black-haired girl blinked at the question. "Huh? Uh, yeah, I think so."

"Then I'm going to have to ask you and everyone else a favor." The resolve in his eyes met with the hesitation in hers. "Do you think you can stall the monster?"

"S-Stall it?" Morgan looked puzzled. "What for?"

"I've got something I want to try." Rean shook his head. "No, scratch that; I _need_ to try. But I need time to get ready. Can I count on you to get everyone together and keep it busy?"

"Rean…" She looked back and forth between themselves and their classmates. The monster pounded the ground with its fist, narrowly missing Gaius and sending Alisa in a panic. Laura leapt high into the air and brought down her greatsword, stunning the creature momentarily. Taking in a deep breath, Morgan nodded. "Alright. How much time do you need?"

"I'd say about...fifteen seconds at most?" Rean estimated.

"Then that's what you'll get." Twirling her weapon with one hand and gripping her orbment in the other, she started walking towards the other members of Group A. "Attention, Group A!" she shouted. "Rean has a request for you all!"

All three of them diverted their attention temporarily from the monster to direct their gazes towards Rean. Taking that as his cue, he voiced his request. "I've got an idea to beat this thing, but I need time! Give me fifteen seconds! After that, I'll create an opening for you all to hit it with everything you've got!"

All of them exhibited varying degrees of surprise at his request. "Wh-what are you planning to-" Alisa began to say, but the monster roared again. Before it could act, however, an orb of wind smacked it in the face.

 _ ***Insert song: "Stand Your Ground (Final Fantasy XV)"***_

Morgan was pointing her orbment at the baboon. "You heard him!" she said, immediately taking charge of the situation. "Alisa! Start shooting fire arrows! Gaius! Cover Alisa! Laura! Link with me! We'll end this in one go!"

The other students fumbled upon hearing the sudden order, being in no position to argue otherwise, as ARCUS links were hastily broken and created left and right. Morgan gave a reassuring nod to Rean. "Don't let us down, Rean."

Rean mouthed a silent "Thank you" as the axewoman engaged the monster together with Laura. As the battle raged in front of him, monster parts clanging against steel and arts being cast, Rean closed his eyes and entered a state of focus. Taking in a deep breath, he shouted in his mind: 'Flames, gather on my blade!' Putting his free hand on his blade, he concentrated as much power as he could onto his weapon without letting it overtake him. Slowly but surely, his blade became coated with flames that appeared from nothing.

"This...won't go like last time!" Once his preparations were complete, Rean's eyes bolted open. "Okay, guys! I'm ready!" he announced.

At those words, the other students withdrew from the monster's area of proximity as Rean dashed forward at high speeds with his sword wreathed in fire. Caught off guard by the sudden appearance of the swordsman, the baboon could do nothing but shriek as Rean slashed once, twice, then three times, dashing past the dazed primate as the flames began to dissipate from his blade. "Now's your chance!" he called to his classmates.

"First one's mine!" Morgan wasted no time in rushing in to get in the first attack. She delivered a flurry of stabs with her polearm before reverting it to its axe form and swinging it in an overhead arc. Facing the other team that was paired up, she yelled "Your turn next!" and made her swift exit.

Alisa created a burning arrow from her orbal bow and looked at her partner. "You ready, Gaius?"

Gaius spun his spear vigorously over his head and readied it at his side. "Ready whenever!"

Together, they released both of their projectiles. One searing red bolt and one howling green stinger flew side by side through the air before colliding with the baboon, making it reel back and stand on its hind legs.

"Laura!" Both of them called to their final teammate, who had taken the time to enter a state of complete concentration.

"I'll end this with my most powerful strike!" A saintly light enveloped Laura's greatsword as she charged towards the monster, delivering two quick, powerful slashes followed by a roundhouse swing. With that final blow, the monster was launched from the clearing back into the forest it came from.

 _ ***Insert song end***_

"Did that...do it?" Rean panted.

"I believe so…" Gaius was leaning on his spear for support. "I'm not sure if we killed it, but I doubt it'll be coming back for more."

"If we did kill it, we'd have to pay some serious fines for hurting the wildlife…" Morgan remarked in between breaths.

Alisa's face paled. "For the love of Aidios, I sure hope not…"

Laura chuckled at her female classmates' comments as she steadied her breathing, exhausted from the preceding battle. She then looked to her fellow swordsman, who was flicking the monster blood off of his sword. "Rean." Her voice caught his attention. "What was that skill you just performed?"

Rean froze as he was about to return his tachi to its sheath. He thought for a moment on how to best answer the question before turning to face his blue-haired classmate. "It was something I've been working on for a while. This was the first chance I had to put it through its paces, though. I definitely feel like I'm getting the hang of it now."

"Whatever that skill was, it definitely saved our skin." Morgan pocketed her orbment. "You really tipped the scales."

"It truly was a sight to behold," commented Gaius. "You really should give yourself some more credit."

"You're always there to help us when we need it most," Alisa agreed.

Hearing those words of praise from his classmates made Rean blush a little. "No, that's not true," he refuted, shaking his head in modesty. "There's really only so much I can do on my own. We wouldn't have been able to defeat that thing if we hadn't all been working together as a team." He proceeded to list off the contributions of his other group members. "Morgan was able to rally everyone together, Alisa was able to support from afar, Gaius was able to find openings for the rest of us, and Laura was able to finish the job. This was a victory for Group A as a whole."

Now it was the other students' turns to react to compliments directed to them. Morgan playfully smirked at him. Alisa blushed and twirled a finger through her hair. Gaius chuckled and folded his arms. Laura simply smiled.

Off to the side, one of the fake rangers finally spoke. "Unbelievable…"

The students perked up, having already forgotten what their main objective was. "What are these kids even doing here?" another bandit asked, his mouth agape.

"That bastard…" one bandit said through gritted teeth. "This wasn't supposed to happen!"

"'That bastard'…?" Morgan repeated. "And just who might you be talking about?"

Before anyone could say another word, a loud whistle sounded from the entrance to the clearing.

"What…?!" Alisa jumped and exclaimed.

All persons present turned to face the entrance, where a group of soldiers from the provincial army stood with their weapons pointed towards them.

"It seems we have some unwanted guests," Laura remarked.

Gaius's expression darkened. "This doesn't bode well…"

With a nod from their commanding officer, the soldiers proceeded to encircle the students. "Drop your weapons, then put your hands in the air!" one of them ordered.

"Don't try to resist!" another one added.

"Why are you surrounding us and not them…?" Laura wondered aloud. Another soldier immediately silenced her.

Morgan scoffed. "It's like they're not even trying to hide their involvement…"

"You're jumping to an awful lot of conclusions, young lady…" The provincial army officer walked up to them, shaking his head in disapproval. "I see two groups of people and a collection of stolen goods, but no indication of which group is responsible. Do you have any way to prove that the four of you aren't the perpetrators?"

A collective shock went through the students. "Do you intend to frame us?" Laura asked outright.

"This is preposterous…" Gaius's face was impassive, an indication that he was not at all pleased with the corruptness that was occurring in front of his eyes.

"I'm just telling you that you need to mind your own business and learn your place," the officer responded. "The Kreuzen province is the territory of Duke Albarea, and I will not have a gaggle of bratty students poking their noses where they don't belong!" The commanding officer's expression and tone almost seemed like he was deliberately provoking the students into lashing out. Rean knew better than to do that, though; one wrong move could immediately land them in deep trouble. "You will back down now, or we'll be more than happy to arrest you right here and drag you to Bareahard City, kicking and screaming!"

"...By whose authority?"

All eyes turned to the voice who spoke those three words in subtle defiance. Rean wasn't sure whether to be amazed or in disbelief.

"What...did you...just say to me?" the officer articulated, drawing closer to the student who dared to speak against him.

"Maybe I should have been clearer." Morgan's expression was unchanging. "By whose authority should we back down and let these people roam free?" She waved her hand at the bandits. "Is it the will of your lord or…" she paused briefly. "Just yours?"

The officer was infuriated. "What sort of question is that? Is a small girl such as yourself trying to give us, the army of the duke, orders?"

"Don't answer a question with another question," Morgan coldly answered. "But I also think that no one needs to have evidence to know that what you're doing right now is turning a blind eye to real crime. In that sense, you're all bystanders, and being a bystander makes you just as guilty as someone stealing merchants' goods."

"M-Morgan…" Rean tried to reach to his classmate to get her to stop, but he was moved out of the way by the officer.

"I could have you arrested for threatening an officer." His face drew scarily close to the teen's.

"If that is the will of the duke, then far be it from me to keep you from doing your job," she replied. "I just wonder how Jusis would react to hearing about this…"

The mention of Jusis's name sent a shock through the assembled soldiers. "J-Jusis?" "Does she mean L-Lord Jusis?"

"Oh, yes. Did I not mention that?" Morgan just couldn't be stopped. "The son of your provincial lord happens to be one of our classmates. And I'm sure he'll be very interested in hearing about what's going on in his family's province…"

The soldiers began to falter.

"Don't listen to her!" the army officer exclaimed, attempting to regain control of the situation. "She's spewing nothing but lies, as are the rest of them! You've brought this upon yourself. Men, arrest-"

"I'm afraid you'll be doing no such thing."

A cool voice from the entrance to the clearing halted the officer from giving his orders. Upon turning around, his expression went from stern to panicked. A group of armed officers wearing grey uniforms and hats and carrying guns entered the area, followed by a woman with icy blue hair wearing the same uniform.

"The R-Railway Military Police…" one of the soldiers quivered.

"Railway Military Police…?" Gaius repeated those words as if they were a foreign concept to him, which they likely were.

"They're supposed to be the most elite unit in the whole of the Imperial Army," Alisa whispered to him. "And one their most important members serves directly under the Chancellor himself. They call her…"

"The Icy Maiden," Morgan finished her sentence. "And if you haven't guessed, she's the person standing in front of us right now."

The Icy Maiden stepped forward in front of her squadron and sighed. "My, we've certainly got quite the mess on our hands today, haven't we?"

* * *

The Icy Maiden, who later introduced herself properly to the students as Captain Claire Rieveldt, took control of the situation by taking the fake rangers into custody and forcing the provincial army to stand down, reasoning that since Celdic is a major interchange section in the Military Police's railway network, they have every right to perform their own investigation and concluded that the students were not the real culprits. Afterwards, Group A accompanied the captain and her squad back to Celdic to file a full report of the incident, with the students taking the opportunity to write their own set of reports for the academy.

Once all was said and done, the sun was already setting and it was almost time for the students to leave. Packing up their belongings alongside the rewards they had received in Celdic, they offered their thanks and bid their goodbyes to Otto, Margot, and Captain Claire just in time for their instructor to unexpectedly show up in person. Sara exchanged a few words with the captain, taking a few jabs at how she was inconspicuously at the right place at the right time, before motioning for her students to come join her on the train ride back to Trista. From the sounds of things, it seemed like two of them already knew each other, but to what extent was beyond Group A's knowledge.

Now the students were enjoying some much needed rest on the train ride back, though none were as competent at falling asleep as their instructor, who passed out almost immediately after the train started moving.

"You don't think she's faking it, do you?" Alisa had to ask.

"Hmm…" Laura closely inspected their inspector. "No. Judging by her breathing, I believe she really is asleep."

"Not surprising, considering that Group B turned out to be a complete disaster from the sounds of it," Morgan commented.

"If she had to deal with them, then come back here on the same day, I'll bet she's totally spent," Rean agreed.

"Trying to sort that out would be like trying to pin down a storm," Gaius remarked. "Anyone would be exhausted."

"Putting Group B aside…" Rean said. "I guess this is how our first field study trip comes to an end, huh? I think I might have an idea now as to why we're here, though…"

"I had the same thought." Alisa retrieved her orbment and looked at it. "Testing the ARCUS is clearly a big reason for coming here, but it's not the only reason. I think it has more to do with making sure we see everything that's going on with our own eyes."

"Learning about Erebonia by visiting and seeing issues that occur firsthand…" Gaius mused. "It's an unconventional way of studying, but it's certainly effective.

"And just as we thought and acted swiftly in the face of crisis this time, so, too, may we be called to do so again," Laura added. "These field studies may aim to test and cultivate those skills, in preparation for our futures."

"Basically, we're training, everywhere we go." Rean cupped his chin with his hand. "Still, now that I'm thinking about what we did during our field study and why we were doing it, the whole concept seems eerily similar to the M.O. of bracers. Did anyone else notice that?"

A wave of realization hit his other classmates. "Now that you mention it…" Alisa thought aloud.

"Bracers are people whose main goal is to protect civilians, correct?" Gaius asked. "That's a rather odd inspiration, considering this is a military academy."

"Still, the tasks we were given in Celdic do seem to align themselves quite well with the bracers' basic philosophy," Laura reasoned. "It's unconventional, but as you mentioned earlier, Gaius, that's exactly what this field study was."

Morgan glanced over to Instructor Sara. Maybe it was just her imagination, but she could have sworn she saw one of her eyes open subtly before drifting back to sleep. Turning back to her classmates, she couldn't help but notice that Rean was still thinking about something. "Something else on your mind, Rean?" she asked him.

Rean snapped out of his train of thought. "What?"

"Look, I understand that figuring out the origins of Class VII and the field studies is important, but try not to think too hard about them right now. It's only been, what, a month since we started school? I'm sure Instructor Sara and the other teachers will inform us due time." She paused to make an aside glance in their teacher's direction. "...Whenever that may be."

Rean also looked at their sleeping instructor. "Yeah, I guess so, but I was actually thinking about something else."

Morgan blinked in surprise. "Oh, you were? Never mind, then. Sorry."

"You don't have to apologize," Rean assured her. "In fact, this brings up a good opportunity for me to share something with you all."

Morgan, Laura, Alisa, and Gaius all turned to him with expectant eyes.

"Like you said, Morgan," he began, "we've been in the same class for a month now, and this whole time I've been...kind of keeping you all in the dark."

"About what?" Alisa inquired.

"You aren't referring to the issue regarding your swordsmanship, I take it?" Laura hypothesized.

Rean shook his head. "No, it's not that. What I've actually been hiding is something regarding my…" He pursed his lips, as if were about to say some words that were difficult to pronounce. "My social class."

Varying degrees of surprise appeared on the other students' faces. "I dodged the question when Machias asked," he continued, "but technically I come from a family of nobles. My hometown is Ymir, in the northern mountains, and I'm the son of its ruler, Baron Schwarzer."

"Now that you mention it, I have heard the name before…" Laura muttered. "An honorable family, closely tied with the Imperial family themselves, despite being headed by a mere baron…I never would have guessed it was the same Schwarzer."

"But if I recall correctly, you mentioned to Machias back in the old schoolhouse that you didn't have a drop of noble blood in you…" Gaius recounted. Then the realization hit him. "Ah, so that explains it."

Rean nodded. "In reality, though, I'm actually adopted, so I'm only upper class in name only. By all technicalities, I'm no different from any other commoner. Of course, it also helps that my dad and mom are easygoing individuals. None of us really behave like your typical nobles at all."

"Guess it sounds like you've got your own issues to deal with just like the rest of us, huh?" Alisa remarked.

Rean laughed. "Well, I don't think of it as a big deal, and I don't want you to think of it as one either. I didn't want to keep it a secret any longer, and now that I've said it, it feels like a weight has lifted from my shoulders." He looked to each of his classmates. "You're all going to be a major part of my life from here on out. It's only fair to share as much as I can with you, right?"

"You...consider us to be major parts of your life?" Laura sounded almost flattered.

"Honestly, has anyone ever told you that you can be way too serious sometimes?" Though Alisa tried to sound reprimanding, even she couldn't fight back a slight blush.

"I take it that your saying this now means you're ready to reveal this to the rest of the class?" Gaius asked.

Rean nodded his head. "Yeah, I am. Better to put it out in the open now than to have them figure out by accident later."

"I don't have a problem with knowing this myself, but I do know that some people aren't going to be thrilled to find out about this." Morgan put a finger to her chin. "Think you're ready to face the music?"

"I'll...deal with that when that comes," Rean hesitantly answered.

Morgan let out an exasperated sigh. "I've said it before, and I'll say it again: you've got a knack for getting yourself into trouble."

"At least now I know what I need to improve on." His response caused the group to laugh lightheartedly.

'He's really making an effort to come clean, isn't he?' Morgan thought. 'I guess he's already beaten me in that sense. Maybe I should start taking notes. However…' She looked out the window at the sky, now cloaked in the dark veil of night. 'It feels like he's still holding back some details. Granted, it's not like I'm any better, but even still…''

Moving her eyes to look at him, her mind flashed back to the fight against the ruler of the forest. The picture of orange flames surrounding his sword was still vivid in her mind. 'Those flames…they looked different from my own. They didn't feel magical at all; it was almost like it was something else entirely.

'Rean Schwarzer...just what other secrets do you have?' she wondered. 'Somehow, I have this sneaking suspicion that I should keep my eye on you…'

 **END OF CHAPTER 1**

* * *

 **Author's note: From the depths of Halloween, this fic rises again! Well, technically it's already November, but I digress. As mentioned in the previous chapter, updates will continue to be sporadic due to frequent mishaps IRL, but at the same time it gives me more time to put in more ideas. I notably used one such idea in this very chapter, and that is the addition of "insert songs" to give some life to certain scenes. Do you like them? Do you think I should dial them down? Let me know in a review or a private message if you want.  
Anyways, this part marks the end of the first chapter of the game as well as the first part of this fic. I would go straight into Chapter 2, but I'm a bit hesitant in going straight back into the thick of things, especially since I'm still in the planning phases of the next chapter. So instead, the next chapter is going to be a lighthearted intermission chapter! Because what's a long story without a good few filler arcs here and there? As for the subject? Well, that's mostly for me to know, but what I can say is that you should take note of the date and what may or may not be coming up in a little over a week. Look forward to it! ****ｖ(⌒ｏ⌒)ｖ**


	11. Intermission - A Child's Day

"RIIIIING. RIIIIING. RIIIII-" *CLICK*

Morgan's hand was on the alarm clock before it could make another sound. She groggily looked at the time. It read 5:45.

'The sun's barely even up yet…' Morgan thought in her head. Her mind was a bit fuzzy. 'Why did I set it up this early again?' As she laid flat on her back, she pondered some questions in her head. What was the time? 5:45 A.M. What was she doing last night? Doing some prestudying for classes. Were there any tests today? None that come to mind. What even was today? Yesterday was a Tuesday schedule, which meant that today was a Wednesday. If Morgan recalled correctly, that would make today May 5th.

'Wait, May 5th?' She started to remember something important. "Oh yeah, that's right. Today's my-"

A knock came from the door.

"Yeah?" she called.

"You up yet?" A quiet voice spoke from the other side. "You said you wanted me to make sure you were awake, right?"

"I'm up! I'm up!" Morgan rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "Give me a few minutes. Can you wait for me downstairs?"

"Sure." The sound of footsteps moving away from the door was heard.

'That's right,' Morgan remembered. 'Today's my day to cook.'

* * *

A couple of minutes later, Morgan was standing in the kitchen wearing her school uniform and an apron. Both of her hands were on her hips. "We're going to do this in one go!" she said, psyching herself up. She turned to her partner. "You ready?"

Fie yawned in response. "Yeah, sure," she murmured.

Feeding off her partner's enthusiasm, Morgan clapped her hands together. "Right, so now that we're in that cooking mentality...what's on the menu today?"

The silver-haired girl shrugged her shoulders. "Your pick."

"Do you...have any specific things in mind?" Morgan asked.

"No."

"Do you...know how to make any special dishes?"

"Not really."

"Do you even know how to cook?"

"I can make military rations." At last, a response from Fie that was more than a few words. "Does that count?"

"That's a...unique specialty." Morgan's confidence was dwindling by the moment. "I don't think that's going to work, though."

"We don't have to go through with breakfast," Fie suggested. "We can always just do dinner instead. Just saying."

"And what do you propose we do for dinner?" Morgan queried.

"We'll just buy food from Kirsche's," Fie smirked, "and then disguise it as our own cooking."

"And, what, we just hand it over to the others saying 'Hey, guys! I hope you're ready for this tomato cheese flatbread that totally isn't a store-bought pizza'?"

"We can put fruit on it." Fie seemed to be filled with new ideas today. "No store would ever think about doing that."

"We have some of the smartest people in the academy in our class," Morgan counter-snarked. "They won't get fooled that easily." With no apparent help available from her partner, Morgan began to mull over the possibilities in her head. "Right. In that case, let's start with something simple and then work our way up from there. Sound good?"

Her partner shrugged. "Fine."

* * *

After gathering the ingredients together, Morgan set to work on preparing breakfast. It was a while since the last time she picked up a kitchen knife, but once she started working everything started to come back naturally.

"You're not doing too badly," Fie commented as she watched Morgan carefully cut some vegetables with her fingers tucked in. "Guess I'll let you handle the rest." She turned to leave.

"Oooooh no." Morgan reached out and dragged Fie by the collar like a cat. "You're staying right here; you're going to be doing the most important part, after all."

"Which is…"

"You're going to do the actual cooking," Morgan clarified. "Mixing together the wet and dry ingredients and stirring it to make sure nothing burns."

"You mean you can't just do that yourself?" Fie tilted her head slightly.

"Well, I can't do all the work, can I?" Morgan reasoned. "Don't worry; I'll lead you through it." With that, she went back to chopping vegetables with her knife. Once that was done, she cracked open a few eggs into a small bowl and whisked the yolk and egg whites together with a fork. Then, she gathered a handful of oats, put them into a pot, and added water to it.

"Normally, we'd use rice for this," Morgan explained as she filled the pot. "But we don't have any on hand right now, so the next best thing is oatmeal." When the pot was filled to her liking, Morgan placed it on top of an orbal stove and turned it on. She then motioned for Fie to stand in front of it and handed her a large wooden spoon.

"The trick is to stir it just the right amount," Morgan instructed Fie. "If you do it too quickly early on, the gruel will become too thin and it won't hold the other ingredients. If you do it too slowly, the oats might get stuck at the bottom."

"Not too fast but not too slow," Fie repeated. "Like this?" She stirred the spoon in a wide circle at a moderate pace.

"Yeah, just like that!" Morgan grinned. "You learn quick."

Fie gave a small hum and went back to stirring. While her partner was occupied, Morgan looked around the kitchen for a spare cooking container, eventually finding a small saucepan and setting it beside the stove.

"How come you need another one?" Fie noticed.

"Because I'm going to show you the next step," Morgan answered. She looked at the contents of Fie's pot and nodded. "That looks great. Now set it over a cold burner and help me scoop some into here."

Fie nodded. Putting the pot elsewhere on the stove top, she transferred some of the oatmeal into the saucepan. "I was wondering why it looked like there was more than we needed," she remarked.

Morgan nodded, eventually raising her hand for Fie to stop scooping. She then set the saucepan on top of the heated burner and grabbed the bowl with the eggs and the fork.

"Now watch closely," Morgan told her partner. "This next step's the most important part, so be sure to take lots of notes! I'm only going to show this to you once, got it?"

"Got it." Fie stared at the saucepan intently. "Taking lots of mental notes."

Holding the back of the fork close to the bowl, Morgan lifted her hand slightly, allowing the eggs stream through the slots into the gruel. "Once you've put the eggs in, you want to let it simmer for a bit," she explained. "The main goal is to have the eggs in small pieces, so stirring it while it's raw won't let it cook as thoroughly. And when it gets to around this color…" Morgan pointed at the solution, now sporting a golden yellow color from the eggs. "You can start adding other things into it. In this case, we can add the vegetables I cut up earlier." As she said this, Morgan reached over to the tray with the sliced vegetables and scraped a little amount into the saucepan. A little while later, the oatmeal solution began to boil.

"When it starts acting up like this, it's time to stir. Same principles as before: not too quick but not too slow." As she took the large stirring spoon into her hands, Morgan turned to her classmate. "You might want to step back."

Fie broke out of her concentrated stare to look up. She looked a bit confused, but she nodded and retreated back a few steps. Seeing that her cooking partner was a safe distance away, Morgan took in a deep breath and put the spoon into the saucepan. As she began to stir, she broke the cooked eggs into smaller chunks and scraped some of the oatmeal that had gotten stuck at the bottom. She started off at a slow pace before gradually increasing as the mass of the soup began to lighten, at which point she slowed down to a moderate stir. She also made an effort to cover some of the solution over the vegetables so they could heat up.

'So far, so good,' Morgan thought. 'It's just stirring a bunch of raw ingredients together. Nothing more, nothing less…"

As soon as she thought that, a familiar chill ran up Morgan's spine. The sound of creepy laughter seemed to reverberate through the air.

'Aaand, here we go.'

The golden yellow soup started to turn into a sickening red color the more Morgan stirred. In the place of steam, red vapor started to emanate from the saucepan. The temperature in the kitchen felt like it was steadily increasing.

"!" In the corner of Morgan's vision, she saw Fie instinctively reaching for a knife to defend herself.

"Nothing to worry about!" Morgan attempted to assure her. "This is completely normal!"

"You call THIS normal?" If it weren't for the current situation, Morgan would have been patting herself on the back for gauging a reaction out of the usually-stoic girl.

Morgan stopped stirring and turned off the orbal stove. "Well, normal for me anyways." She lifted the saucepan up from its place on the burner and set it to the side for her partner to see. Putting aside the obvious red coloring that shouldn't have existed in the first place, the rest of the finished product looked relatively tame. The eggs were separated into small chunks and blended well with the oats, and the sliced vegetables looked reasonably cooked, though some looked close to being charred. Any person who didn't see the creating process could have easily assumed that too much food coloring was added.

Overall, not too bad for not having cooked in a while.

"Anyway, that sums up the rest of the process," Morgan said. "Think you're ready to give it a shot?"

"Was that supposed to happen?" Fie asked. She sounded cautious. "Cause if the end result looks anything like that, then I'll pass."

Morgan laughed. "Don't you worry about yourself; this is just something that happens exclusively to me. The whole point was just to show you what to do in the next step, so if you do that, it should come out fine and not…" She looked to her bubbling red concoction. "Look like this."

Fie set her knife down on a nearby tabletop. "I'm guessing that's why you said you wanted me to handle the cooking?"

"Yeeeup." Morgan put a lid on the saucepan and placed in on the dining table. "If we're being honest, I don't really understand why that happens myself. All I know is that whenever I try to make something, everything I touch turns out like that. It's not that I don't know how to cook; it's just that it's near impossible for me to actually create something without it getting ruined."

"Must've been tough growing up," Fie commented.

"Eh, it's not so bad when you get used to it." Morgan shrugged her shoulders. "I can still prepare and cut up ingredients just fine, so at least I can still help around in the kitchen. I'm surprised you're not freaking out as much."

"Call it a good poker face," the silver-haired girl replied.

"So…" Morgan's voice trailed off. "You're not going to ask more about it?"

Fie shrugged. "If you don't know about it, I don't know about it. Simple as that. I think I'm ready now."

"You can do this." Together, they hoisted the first pot onto the burner and turned the stove back on. While Fie stirred the gruel to scrape some of the oats from the bottom, Morgan cracked open a few more eggs into a bowl and whisked them together with a fork. She then handed both of them to Fie, who repeated the same motions that Morgan had shown her. After waiting for a bit so the eggs could simmer, Fie grabbed the rest of the chopped vegetables and put them into the pot before stirring. This time, the soup maintained a golden yellow color throughout the whole process.

Morgan, who was watching her partner's progress, nodded in approval. "That looks great. Nice going, Fie."

It was faint, but Morgan could see the traces of a smile appearing at the corners of Fie's mouth.

"By the way…" Fie said. "What are we going to do with yours?"

Morgan looked to the saucepan, neglected for containing a botched attempt at breakfast. "I was planning on throwing it out...unless you want to try it?"

"Is it poisonous?"

"Well, I don't think it is…" Morgan tried to recall the last time someone tried her cooking. "The worst that could happen is that they'll get knocked out for a few minutes."

Fie hummed to herself. "I guess it'd be a shame if we let your hard work go to waste…"

Morgan didn't like where this was heading, but her mischievous side was curious nonetheless. "Got any bright ideas?"

Fie turned to face her with the most deadpan of smirks. "Ever heard of Devil's Roulette?"

* * *

The unfortunate victim of the game of Devil's Roulette turned out to be Machias. Fortunately, only a small portion of Morgan's soup was added to his bowl, so the worst Class VII's vice president got was a breakfast that tasted like dishwater and a slightly upset stomach. A few sips of coffee later and he was back to normal, though the prank left him insisting that Fie and Morgan never share the same kitchen again.

Aside from that, the rest of the school day went by lazily without any other issues, so when Morgan returned to the dorm and noticed that the top of what seemed to be a drawstring bag was sticking out from one of the mailboxes, she initially paid it no mind until she did a double take and realized that it was sticking out of HER mailbox. Walking to it and opening it revealed a medium-sized satchel that was all scrunched up inside, almost as if the mailman had tried to push it in all the way but eventually gave up. Taking the bag out revealed that it was slightly heavier than one would expect. Morgan wondered why anyone would ever bother sending her something one month into the school year as she dragged the satchel upstairs to her room. Once she closed the door, she loosened the drawstring to find that it was filled to the brim with assorted envelopes, cards, and small packages that were all addressed to her. It was only when she spotted a random card with the words 'Happy Birthday' on it that she put two and two together.

'Huh, I had completely forgotten,' Morgan thought. 'I wonder how they found out, though…'

She fumbled her hand within the satchel, using her sense of touch to settle on a roughly wrapped parcel with a store-bought card taped to it. She took off the card and read its contents:

" _Hey there, little lassie! A little birdie told me it was your birthday today, so I got you a little treat from the marketplace. Would've sent you a pizza, but I reckon it probably would've gone cold by the time you read this, and we both know that pizza tastes better served smokin' hot. But don't worry; I'll be more than happy to treat you to the house special next time. Just make sure to give me a reminder.  
_ _Hope you're having a blast at the academy. Miss seeing you around.  
_ _Always remember to keep it stylish.  
_ _-Donavan."_

"Hey, it's from the Don!" Morgan remarked. Donavan Tennant, otherwise known as "The Don", was the owner of a pizzeria in Heimdallr. He was a lively fellow who enjoyed entertaining people while making his pies, and it was largely thanks to him that Morgan was introduced (and became addicted to) pizza in the first place. "Sounds like he's still doing well. I wonder what he got me…" She eagerly tore of the wrappings to reveal, much to her delight, several bags filled with bear jerky. Morgan couldn't help but squee as she opened a bag, took a stick of jerky out, and held it over head as if it were a legendary weapon. "I hereby dedicate this to our lord and savior, the Don! Long live the Don!"

As Morgan happily munched on her piece of jerky, she reached her free hand into the bag again and randomly chose another card to read. Compared to her previous present, this next item consisted of just a folded card that seemed rather crudely put together. Morgan opened it and read its contents:

" _Heard it was your birthday, so here's a little something for you in case you're back in town and still in one piece._ _Try not to die out there.  
_ _-H._ "

Attached was a handwritten coupon for the pastry shop _Infaillible_ , good for one half dozen donuts of any choice. Morgan snorted. Based on the initial, she surmised it was sent by Herman I. Toomes, the owner of _Infaillible_ , though given the state of the card it was probably sent on a last-minute whim. Herman was a man of few words who acted very business-like and rarely spoke more than was necessary. Despite that, he holds great pride in his craft and treats the rest of his staff like family. "As blunt as ever, I see. Honestly, though; I'm only a military student. It's not like I'm fighting a war."

But then again...

Morgan set the card with the coupon aside and drew another item from her letter stash. The next item she picked was a small parcel with an envelope tucked in the strings covering the wrappings. Untying the strings and removing the material revealed a rectangular box that contained several quartzes of assorted colors as well as a small guide detailing the functions of each quartz.

"I think I've got a good idea of who sent this one," commented Morgan, but just to make sure, she opened the envelope and read the letter inside:

" _Good day, Morgan. I hope you are doing well._ _Normally, I'd call you on your orbment, but since you're a student now, I figured it would be better to send you a written note instead. A good thing too, as your employer also notified me that it was your birthday today, so I included some extra things as a little birthday gift.  
Accompanying this note is a box containing some support quartzes from Johannes that I got my hands on. Most notable among this small collection is a fire quartz that allows the use of the "Fire Bolt" art. To make it easier to tell which quartz does what, I also took the liberty of including a description for each quartz so you can mix and match at your leisure. I'm certain you already know this, but do use these responsibly."_

"I suppose that explains why everyone knows it's my birthday," Morgan mused, pausing to take a look at the box of quartzes. "Looks like I was right about it being from Old Man Omar; it's definitely the kind of thing he'd give someone. Actually, it's probably the ONLY thing he'd be able to give someone that's legal." Omar Viridian was an inventor who was always tinkering around with old gadgets, orbments, and other miscellaneous objects. Despite him veering into his late sixties, his mind and hands were still as sharp as ever, being able to fix and make just about anything provided he has the parts. His main strength, however, lied in his expertise in making weapons, though due to a lack of a steady income he couldn't branch out as far as he would have liked without certain workarounds. Morgan continued to read the remaining contents of the letter:

" _Now this next part is in regards to the 'project' we've been working on. I am pleased to report that the next model is almost finished. With luck, I'll be able to complete it within a few months. I know you're likely going to be busy with school, but if you're willing and able to help test the new model, I would greatly appreciate it. I'll be sure to keep you posted.  
_ _Yours truly, O. Viridian."_

"Now there's some good news," Morgan smiled. "I'll have to find some way to make time to stop by. I wonder if George could let me go during a free day…"

Deciding not to wait any longer, Morgan took the satchel by its bottom and dumped the rest of its contents onto the floor. She spent the next few minutes reading cards, opening envelopes, and removing the wrappings from packages. Seeing all these birthday wishes gathered from a collection of people she met back in Heimdallr made her feel nostalgic inside.

Finally, she arrived at the final item in the lineup. It was another rectangular parcel laced with string and covered in packaging, but this one was a bit larger in size compared to Omar's gift. Morgan first opened the envelope that came attached with the parcel. The letter was written in elegant handwriting.

" _Dear Morgan,  
_ _I hope this letter finds you well. It is hard to believe that a little over a year ago we had only heard of each other by name. Now you are an essential part to all of our lives. On behalf of the Vander family and all the people you helped to foster connections with, we wish you a happy birthday and a fruitful time at the academy.  
_ _Normally, we'd be content with just sending our regards through a letter. However, Fauna reached out to me this morning and told me to send these books to you. Apparently they're from your good friends. I questioned her myself on why they would go about such a circuitous way of sending you presents, but apparently that information is confidential. Regardless, it's still heartwarming to know that they are still thinking of you.  
_ _Best wishes, Aurier Vander."_

"From them…?" Morgan carefully untied the strings and removed the packaging to reveal a pair of books. The book on top was titled _What vs. How - The Four Stages of War_ and had a picture of a painting depicting a scene from the War of the Lions on the cover.

Her eyes widened. "This one's the new book on tactics that came out last week!" she exclaimed. "I've been meaning to get this!" Morgan scanned through a few of the pages with a giddy smile on her face. "I owe you guys so much!" Promising herself to read at least a chapter or two before the end of the day, she set her newfound prize to the side and set her sights on the second book. It was a velvet hardcover with a picture of two men positioned back to back on the cover. The one on the right was standing and wistfully reaching his hand outward while the one on the left was kneeling and dutifully praying with a sword by his side.

"' _Falling for Him in a Fortnight_ '?" Morgan read the title. "Why does the name sound kind of familiar?" She pondered the name for a moment before noticing a corner that was sticking out from inside the book. She opened it to find a small piece of paper with some words written in lovely cursive.

" _When the clock strikes nine as the night sky wears the moon as its pendant, I shall summon you for an audience from across a great distance."_

"Well, no surprises as to who sent this one," snarked Morgan. "Though I guess this means I'm booked for the evening." Making a mental note to have her homework finished before 9:00 PM, Morgan looked at the open book and shrugged her shoulders. "I should go grab some dinner, but maybe I'll take a quick peek first…"

She picked up the book and began to peruse its contents. After a little while, however, Morgan closed the book sharply and tossed it onto her bed, her face flustered.

"WHY IS IT ANOTHER BOYS' LOVE BOOK?!" she shouted.

* * *

Morgan treated herself to a nice dinner at Kirsche's to get her mind off of her encounter with her new romance novel. One whole pie of pizza with extra meat and one strawberry sundae later, she went back to the dorm and carried on with her usual evening routines, finishing up her homework and reviewing new material before taking a thorough shower. Now she was sitting on her bed in her pajamas, avidly reading her new book (the one on tactics, not the romance novel, thank you very much) while waiting for her appointed time to come.

Finally, Morgan's personal orbment began to ring. She looked up from her book to check the time. The clock read 9:00.

'Guess it's time for my audience.' Placing a bookmark in her book, she picked up her orbment, flipped open the cover, and spoke into it. "Hello?"

" _Hello and happy birthday, my dearest friend!"_ spoke a cheery voice over the line.

Morgan let out a cross between an exasperated sigh and a lighthearted chuckle. "Thank you. I'm grateful to hear you say that. But with all due respect, using a book to pass along a secret message? You could have just sent a letter."

" _I wanted to, I assure you!"_ her friend insisted. _"But alas, I had my own personal duties to fulfill, and having someone else write a message for me would have removed all the fun in writing it. If it were up to me, though, I would have hopped onto the earliest train to Trista so I could congratulate you in person!"_

"Yes, and what an upset THAT would have caused," Morgan remarked sarcastically. "Please do the empire a favor and try not to take too much after a certain, ahem, wandering bard."

A giggle was heard from the other side of the line, unfazed by Morgan's comment. _"At any rate, my brother already had a gift for you in mind, so it seemed only fitting that I follow his lead. Well? Did you enjoy our gifts?"_

"Well, I definitely liked the book your brother gave me, so be sure to tell him that. But as for yours…" Morgan tried to sound imposing. "Of all the books you could have given me, why did you have to choose one of THOSE books?"

" _Why, Morgan!"_ Morgan's friend feigned surprise. _"Surely even you should have grown accustomed to seeing those titillating fantasies at the academy! I simply wished to broaden your horizons!"_

"I've said it once before and I'll say it again," Morgan replied bluntly. "You're not making a convert out of me."

" _What a shame…"_ Her friend sounded playfully disappointed. _"I suppose that means I'll just have to try harder next year!"_

"Please don't give away your surprises before they actually happen…" Morgan complained.

Another cheery giggle. _"Teehee! Ah, but enough about me; tell me about you! Did you do anything special today?"_

"Well, I did receive some gifts from people in Heimdallr, so that's a plus," Morgan recounted. "One of them even sent me bear meat, so that's another plus. Also, I…" She gave a slight chuckle. "I made breakfast for everyone in my dorm today."

Her friend gasped. _"Did I hear that correctly? Could you perhaps say that once more with clarity?"_

"I made breakfast today." Morgan articulated every syllable.

" _YOU made breakfast today?"_ her friend repeated in the same articulated manner.

"Yes."

" _For other people to partake in?"_

"Yes!"

" _And your dormitory is still standing?"_

"Hey, I don't cause THAT much collateral damage!" Morgan tried sounding defensive, but she was smiling. Her friend was laughing as well. "Besides, I had someone to help me. I prepared the ingredients and they took care of the rest. I can proudly say that no people were harmed in the making or eating of this breakfast!"

'Except for maybe Machias,' Morgan added in her head. 'But that was due to circumstances outside of my control.'

" _It sounds like you had quite the eventful day,"_ Morgan's friend spoke. _"I take it your time at the academy has been enjoyable thus far?"_

"Well…" Morgan briefly hesitated, thinking back to what transpired during her last field study. "There were a couple of...hiccups here and there, but overall, yes. I think I'm enjoying my time at the academy." Morgan positioned her back against the wall and tucked her legs in. "This whole 'Class VII' thing is proving to be a bit tougher than I initially expected, but it's nothing I can't handle."

" _That's reassuring to hear!"_ Her friend sounded relieved. _"A friend I've made at St. Astraia's has a sibling who attends Thors as well, and from what I've heard, the curriculum has been especially arduous this year. Cedric and I were a bit worried in regards to how you were faring, but it seems we needn't be anxious at all!"_

"Oh?" Morgan raised an eyebrow. "You've been making friends?"

" _You say that as if it were a rare occurrence!"_

"Well, I can't deny I'm a bit surprised," Morgan admitted. "But then again, this is YOU we're talking about. You could sway an entire Erebonian crowd just by smiling."

" _Teehee! You flatter me!"_

The two went back and forth like that for a while. Eventually, Morgan found herself gazing upon the collection of cards, envelopes, and other whatnot she had received today, now neatly organized on top of her drawer, and was reminded of something she wanted to know. "Say, would you mind if I asked you a question?"

" _That would depend on the question,"_ her friend replied.

"See, I was really surprised to find that a lot of people sent letters to me," Morgan began, "but it wasn't just because I nearly forgot about it myself. Rather, I don't recall mentioning anything about my birthday to anyone. With that said, one of the people who wrote to me mentioned they heard about it from my employer, so I have to ask: did the Vanders act on their own volition or did someone instruct them to let everyone else know?"

" _I...may have asked someone to spread some rumors about a day commemorating the contributions of the Vermillion Deliverer,"_ her friend confessed.

"I'm not mad or anything," Morgan said calmly. "Really, I'm glad that this was all set up, but you didn't have to go through all this trouble for me."

" _But today is supposed to be a celebration of the day of your birth!"_ Morgan's friend reminded her. _"You should take part in indulging yourself every once in a while; you only turn twenty once, after all!"_

"Not everyone's birthday is treated like a national holiday, you know," Morgan countered. "And besides, when you're a military student, sometimes you have to know when to forego certain pleasantries."

Morgan's friend sighed. _"I suppose that's fair enough. I do apologize if it came off as sudden or even an intrusion of your privacy, but…"_ Her friend paused. _"You did say that you wanted to know what it felt like to live a normal life, and, dare I say it, what is a normal life if there aren't any people who are willing to spoil you every now and then?"_

"S-Spoil me…?" Morgan thought about that last point for a moment. "I suppose you're...not wrong."

" _I know you have a tendency to...forget personal details,"_ her friend continued. _"Cedric and I...I'm sure you're well aware that we won't be able to talk together in this manner once we grow older, so more than anything, we wished to remind you that there are now others who are ready to support you just as you had aided them. Of course, we will also continue to take strides in offering our assistance as best we can but…"_ Another pause. _"Just don't forget that you will always have a place here with us. Consider this a present from all of us to you."_

Morgan's hand grazed the small of her back. Truly, she was blessed to know so many people that she could call friends. "How am I ever going to pay my dues to you?" she said with a sigh.

" _You could always recompense me in books,"_ her friend suggested. _"Books that spin tales about the lives and loves of handsome gentlemen…"_

Morgan laughed. "Absolutely not." She looked at the time. "Anyways, it's getting a bit late. Aren't you feeling tired today? You should go to sleep soon."

Her friend snickered. _"Now those are some words I haven't had the pleasure of hearing in quite some time. Does this mean that you're going to attempt to make me retire for the day?"_

"Would you like me to try?" Morgan asked daringly. "If you're willing to wait, I'll be more than happy to take a train to Heimdallr, waltz right up to your front door, and personally tuck you in to bed." For dramatic effect, she was gradually lowering her voice with every word until she was speaking in a hushed whisper. "Rest assured, I'll make sure you sleep well tonight…"

Her friend made a small squealing noise. _"G-Goodness! Hearing you whisper that in my ear just sent the ghastliest shiver up my spine! Don't concern yourself with coming over; I'll personally see myself to bed."_

"That's good to hear," Morgan said, her voice returning to normal. "Give my regards to your family for me."

" _Of course,"_ her friend replied. _"I bid you goodnight, Morgan."_

"Good night, Your Highness."

With that, Morgan hung up and closed her orbment shut. Feeling that it was a good time to call it a day, she turned off the lights and went to bed.

That night, Morgan dreamt that she was in her apartment, blowing out the candles on a cake as she was surrounded by her friends and family. She felt the warm embrace of her mother. She heard her father wish her a happy birthday.

It was a good dream.

* * *

 **Author's note: Fun fact - this is my first "original" chapter for this story, meaning that this was written without anything from the game to base it off of. Needless to say, I feel both really accomplished and also really nervous.**

 **Now, there is one thing I've noticed that I feel the need to address, and that is that a majority of my current audience seems to have come from the _Fire Emblem_ side of the fandom without any prior knowledge of the _Legend of Heroes_ side. I bring this up because while I did play _Awakening_ first, I wrote and planned this primarily from the other perspective, which is why not only is there is a lack of _Fire Emblem_ -related content outside of the occasional reference, there are also several literary elements present here that are otherwise alien or would go unnoticed by those who went through a typical _Fire Emblem_ story.  
** **See, the main draw of the _Legend of Heroes_ series is the way it interweaves its characters with its world-building, in the sense that every character, ranging from main heroes and villains to the most mundane of NPCs, stands out but still feels like they belong in the world** **. As such, the first objective in all of this is to figure out how to weave in a character who, for lack of a better term, was never supposed to belong in the first place (i.e. Morgan). These intermission chapters simply give me a greater opportunity to solidify Morgan's place in the new world (along with acting as shameless filler before I get my act together and start writing the next chapter). Whether this involves incorporating aspects from her home universe is something I have not yet determined.** **Also, there are times where it feels like I'm spouting out random ideas that are often vaguely worded or never properly delved into. This is a normally a dangerous thing to have for any piece of lore, particularly in _Fire Emblem_ , but in an overarching continuity like the _Legend of Heroes_ saga, such occurrences are more commonplace (note that this** **is a series that would use something as trivial as** **optional collectibles as a form of foreshadowing). As such, it was something that I wanted to incorporate into my writing so it could be more befitting of the universe, and sorry to say, I don't think it will be changing anytime soon.** **I only ask that you be patient when encountering something that you don't understand, because there is a chance it may tie to something important. I will say that a number of you are very observant readers, so don't stop doing that. Wild Mass Guessing is in fact very much encouraged.**

 **On a different note, shout outs to those of you who gave your opinions on the idea of adding "insert songs". The general consensus seems to be that while they're not coherently a bad idea, they can be somewhat distracting, especially if more than one song is used in succession, so I'll keep their usages only for when it counts.**

 **Oh yeah, I also added in some OCs for the heck of it. Feel free to guess the inspirations for some of them.** **(^▽^;)**

 **Anyways, that just about covers everything I wanted to talk about. Hope to you see you again soon! Deuces!** **(≧ω≦)ゞ**


	12. Intermission - A Normal Day

* **Morning***

Of all the ways to start her morning, sitting at the bar area of Kirsche's Cafe and Inn while drinking coffee with one of her teachers was not something Morgan would typically include in her list of possibilities.

It had been a rather uneventful morning up until that point. Morgan had woken up, gotten dressed, packed her school supplies, and was strolling to Kirsche's for a morning cup of joe before the school day began. The usual daily routine. So when she opened the cafe door to find that her usual spot at the bar counter already occupied, it certainly threw her for a little loop. Then she blinked a couple times and recognized the seat's current occupant as Makarov, the orbal science instructor. He was wearing his usual attire, a white lab coat and brown sweater over a yellow polo and slacks, and he was reading a small magazine.

Morgan sat down in the seat two spaces away from him. "Good morning, Instructor," she greeted him.

The orbal science instructor lazily looked up, saw Morgan, gave a brief "Morning", and went back to reading.

Of the Thors faculty, Makarov was probably the only one who could compete with Sara in the "teacher who doesn't normally act like a teacher" category. He was a smoker, he always treated things with a laid-back attitude, he complained about paperwork, his hair was unkempt, and he never bothered to shave, with a permanent stubble along his chin. With all of these traits combined, a normal person would be forgiven for thinking that he was a slacker. However, not only was he very knowledgeable about orbal technology, he was very capable and could do a surprising amount of work for someone who complained about it all the time. If anything, the fact that nothing ever seemed to faze him only made it more difficult for students to tell if they attained his approval or not. Morgan remembered something her father said once. _"Nothing is more frightening than nothing."_ It certainly explained why she felt slightly uneasy around his company. At least Sara was vocal about her opinions, however straightforward or vulgar she may be.

Regardless, now she was trying to find some way to ease the tension on her part as Fred was preparing her drink.

"So...whatcha reading?" she finally asked.

"The newspaper," the instructor replied.

"I thought that was a magazine, not a newspaper."

"Meh, they're basically the same." Instructor Makarov flashed his magazine to Morgan. The cover read _Topical Science_. "Still talking about current events; just about different stuff."

'Well, he isn't wrong…' Morgan thought. "I guess it makes sense that you'd be reading a science magazine," she then remarked. "Any recent developments?"

"Well, this is last month's issue, so it's not exactly recent anymore," Instructor Makarov clarified. "It's got some things about computers, though, so I figured a little refresher wouldn't hurt."

"Oh, that's right. You said we were going to start learning about the orbal network soon," she recalled. The orbal network project was one of the more recent additions to orbal technology, first introduced in the neighboring state of Crossbell for several years of testing before the technology made its way to Erebonia. Through the use of computers that were hooked to the accessible network, it was now possible to exchange substantial amounts of information in a short amount of time, faster than any letter or messenger bird. The thought of being able to pass along information near instantaneously was something Morgan couldn't believe when she first heard about it. In a way, it felt like magic to her.

Fred came with her coffee at that moment, so Morgan thanked him and took a moment to sip her drink. "You know, that reminds me…" she said. "An acquaintance of mine from Heimdallr mentioned something about it a long while back. I didn't really get it myself, though, so...mind if I ask for an expert's opinion on this?"

Her instructor, meanwhile, was pouring coffee from his pot into his cup. Once he set the pot down, he took a big sip of the black liquid. After he swallowed, he said, "Let's hear it then."

Morgan took that as the cue to start talking. "A user interface for the orbal network is like a joke," she recited. "If you have to explain it, it probably isn't very good."

At first, there was no reaction. Then, ever so slightly, the corners of Instructor Makarov's lips started to curve upwards as he gave a low chuckle. It was the biggest reaction she got out of him that whole morning. "Your acquaintance is pretty funny."

Morgan was confused by his answer, so he spoke again. "It was a joke. Your acquaintance was telling you an inside joke between network programmers."

'Guess that explains why Omar was grinning when he said that…' Morgan thought.

* * *

 ***First Period - Political Economics***

"...And so, when you total up all of the goods and services provided in a country, you arrive at what is called the Gross Domestic Product, otherwise known as GDP," lectured Vice Principal Heinrich. "When it comes to measuring the productivity of a nation, the Gross Domestic Product is one of the most important ones. However, it should also be noted that...yes, do you have a question, Miss Daraen?"

"Just a quick one," she said informally, paying no attention to the slight twitch in the vice principal's eyebrow. "If a company outsources development of a product to an outside province or another country and then ships it back to Erebonia to sell, would that good count towards the GDP?"

"Hmm…" the vice principal mulled over the question. "Schwarzer!"

Rean jerked up, surprised to hear his name. "Y-Yes, Instructor?"

"Would you care to give an explanation as to why the situation in Miss Daraen's question would NOT count towards the Gross Domestic Product?"

'Well, at least he answered my question,' Morgan snarked in her mind.

"Oh, um…" After taking a moment to think about the question, Rean stood up and gave his answer. "Even though the ownership of the goods and services would be the empire's, it wouldn't count towards the Gross Domestic Product due to it being produced outside of the country's borders. On the other hand, it would still be considered part of the country's Gross National Product, or GNP."

"That is correct!" Vice Principal Heinrich applauded him. "An excellent answer, Schwarzer! I should have expected no less!"

Since Class VII had returned from their field studies, word had gotten out that Rean was a noble, which caused a sudden change in the behavior directed towards him. Whereas commoners had begun to act nervously around him, nobles were now either trying to apologize for dismissing him or trying to get friendly with him. Vice Principal Heinrich, being a noble himself, was no exception and was delighted to know that someone else of his social class was in, as he called them, "that class filled with misfits".

Naturally, the revealing of Rean's social class hadn't been exempt from changes within Class VII as well. Though Rean insisted that everyone treat him as they always had, there was without a doubt a change in the dynamic of the class, as whenever Rean was spending time with Laura or Jusis, the only other nobles in the class, it wasn't hard to believe that they were interacting due to their social class. Of course, this wasn't the case, as Laura simply had a reignited urge to spar with him following his performance during last month's field study while Jusis seemed to feel guilty about the trouble his family's soldiers had caused him in Celdic. On an aside note, Jusis as a whole seemed to have mellowed out a bit after hearing about what happened to Group A, though he insisted that it was to ensure that "his family's name wouldn't be tarnished among his classmates".

As Rean sat down, Morgan saw in the corner of her eye that Machias had a scowl on his face. To no one's surprise, he had taken the news the worst. Having to deal with an additional noble in the class was not something he was mentally prepared for, especially when it was someone he had acted cordially with before. Though Rean technically wasn't lying about not having a drop of noble blood in his veins, the fact that he still deliberately withheld the truth of his lineage soured the class vice president greatly.

It looked like Rean noticed that Machias glaring at him as well, but when he tried to look over to him, the bespectacled boy simply went back to taking notes. Rean let out a sigh. Morgan secretly empathized with him.

* * *

 ***Third Period - Medical Science***

Morgan held her breath as she wrapped the last bandage around the dummy's arm. Today's class was a practical exam for treating wounds, with the academy nurse presiding over each student's individual assessment. Instructor Beatrix was a kind old lady who always offered words of encouragement, though she could also be very stern when she needed to be, especially when it came healing and treating the wounded.

At last, Morgan was finished. She breathed a sigh of relief and turned to face her proctor.

"There's no need to be so tense, Morgan," Instructor Beatrix said calmly.

"Y-Yeah, I know. It's just…" She nervously looked to the dummy. "Sometimes I just can't help but feel it like I'm doing the real thing, and when that happens, well…"

"It's not something you should be ashamed of," the nurse reassured her. "If this were a real life situation with a real person in danger, there would definitely need to be a cause for concern. However, keep in mind that a patient is only willing to be patient if the doctor is someone they can put their faith in. If the doctor is nervous, it will start rubbing off on the patient as well. Fortunately, this is simply a test, so it's fine if you make a few mistakes here and there. If there is ever a time to fail, it is now."

"That's a good point." Morgan nodded her head. "So...how did I do? Fail? Not fail?"

Instructor Beatrix adjusted her glasses and looked to her clipboard. "Well, seeing as how you followed my instructions clearly and fulfilled all of the criteria listed, I can say without a doubt that you've passed this exam." She looked up, beaming. "Congratulations, Morgan."

Hearing those words lifted a weight from Morgan's shoulders. "Thank you, Instructor…"

"Now if only you could do this well in the written parts…" Instructor Beatrix added with a slight nagging tone, causing a bead of sweat to form on Morgan's forehead. "I know it doesn't involve any practical areas," the elderly woman continued, "but as I've always said: the better you can understand the body…"

"The better you can understand how to treat it," Morgan finished. "Believe me, I'm trying to fix that…"

A small chuckle came from Instructor Beatrix's lips. "You have less than two months before midterms begin; it's best if you start fixing that now."

* * *

 ***Fifth Period - Gender Divided Lessons***

"Aaah...ah, ah, ah, aaaaah…"

"Very good, Emma!" Instructor Mary applauded. "Your intonation on the higher notes was near flawless! You'd make a lovely soprano!"

"Th-Thank you, Instructor…" With her turn up, she bowed her head and sat back down in her seat.

"You really do have a nice singing voice, Emma," Morgan complimented her. "Did you ever take music lessons?"

"Oh, nothing that serious," Emma denied. "I just...used to know someone who liked to sing a lot back in my hometown. I must have learned a thing or two from watching her sing."

"Heeeh…"

"Next up is...Morgan!" the instructor announced. "Could you please stand?"

Hearing her name, Morgan stood up straight from her seat. "Yes, Instructor!"

Instructor Mary was the newest instructor at Thors, with this year being her first year of teaching. Despite this, the way she treated everyone with equal amounts of respect regardless of social class instantly made her a favorite among the student body. Everything from her came so naturally that one would believe she had been teaching for at least several years. "We'll start off low, then we'll work our way up," she explained. "Let me know if it gets too high for you, okay?"

"Okay!"

The blonde-haired teacher played an A Major chord on the piano. Morgan took in a deep breath. 'Okay...feet apart...knees slightly bent...back straight...shoulders back. Here we go!'

She opened her mouth to sing.

…

"And...that's about as far as I can go," Morgan said. She had gotten as far as a high E.

"That's still very impressive, Morgan," Instructor Mary remarked. "You struggled a bit as you went higher, but every note you did sing was pitch perfect! Your voice would sit comfortably around alto one to second soprano."

Her assessment finished, Morgan bowed slightly, lowering her posture with her arm making a small curtsy motion, and sat back down.

"You're not half bad yourself, Morgan." Emma was smiling. "Did YOU ever take music lessons?"

Morgan laughed. "I did have a friend whose mom used to sing for us way back when. She even gave us some pointers for fun. I guess we're a bit alike in that sense."

"Was your friend's mother a singer, by any chance?" Emma inquired.

"Well...yes and no," Morgan replied. "She was definitely a good singer, but she was an even better dancer."

"A singer AND a dancer?" Her classmate looked impressed. "She must have been quite the performist."

"That she was…" Morgan's voice grew quiet. "That she was…"

* * *

 ***Seventh Period - Combat Studies***

"ARCUS, activate!" An orbal aura surrounded Morgan as she began to cast an art.

"Not a chance!" Gaius immediately approached her, ready to thrust forward with his spear.

Morgan, however, had anticipated this. Right as Gaius followed through, Morgan let her orbment fall from her hands and sidestepped his attack. As she spun to the side, she used her sideways momentum hook the back part of her axe's blade onto the body of Gaius's spear, pulling it out of his hands. Before he could do anything else, Morgan had already tapped him lightly with the end knob of her weapon.

"Looks like I got you this time," she said.

"That you have." Gaius calmly accepted his loss. "It was almost like you had predicted my every movement. I should have expected that you would use your ARCUS as a bait."

"You've definitely got good instincts," Morgan commended him. "You were able to fend off my attacks pretty well. I think you've already got a good grasp of controlling the close to mid-range areas; all you need to do is find out how to use that to approach long-range fighters. Going in for the attack usually works against most monsters, but a human opponent can easily catch you off guard."

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind." Gaius retrieved his spear. "As for you...well, I'm sure it's no surprise, but you tend to leave yourself open quite a bit. Granted, you're able to use that to your advantage, but I tend to agree that it should be done sparingly."

As Morgan and the other students grew accustomed to each other's fighting styles, it soon became readily apparent to everyone that Morgan usually wasn't one to defend herself in one-on-one fights. Now, that wasn't to say that she couldn't; in fact, she was perfectly capable of blocking and giving the occasional counter especially when she used her weapon's two-handed form. Rather, she simply preferred to use her weapon's one-handed form to free up her movements so she can evade and better understand her opponents' attacks until she found an opening. It was certainly an unorthodox means of fighting, but it was also risky and seemed to worry her classmates a fair amount.

But then again, if you had a weapon that was sorely lacking in defensive options like a one-handed axe, you'd probably think twice about blocking an attack as well.

"All right, everyone!" Instructor Sara announced. "It's that time again, so...switch partners!"

Morgan picked up her ARCUS and bid farewell to Gaius before moving clockwise in an inner circle along with four of her other classmates to meet her next opponent.

'Oh boy…' Morgan thought. 'Speaking of how to deal with long-range fighters…'

"Looks like we're paired up next." Alisa waved her hand. "Ready to go?"

"Whenever you are," Morgan replied. "Say, how are actual arrows treating you?"

Alisa looked to her side, where a brand new quiver with physical bolts inside hung by her waist. According to her, the fight against the ruler of the forest made her realize the limitations of the orbal bow on larger enemies, which was why within a few days of returning to Trista after their field study, Alisa had ordered and shipped an arrow set from Roer. The set came with tipped arrows for practical use and non-tipped ones for recreational use.

"It took a while to get used to," the archer admitted, "but a little practice goes a long way." She took out a headless arrow from her quiver and notched it in her bow. "That's why I'll keep getting better...so I can go all the way to victory!"

Morgan smirked. "Nice one-liner." She twirled her weapon in her right hand and gripped her ARCUS in her left. "Did you borrow that from somewhere?"

Alisa gave a playful sneer as Instructor Sara gave the signal to begin the next set of peer evaluations.

* * *

 ***After School***

"Hey, I'm back!" Morgan said as she entered the Engineering Building.

"Welcome back!" George responded. "Sorry to have you take care of that errand for me."

"No big deal." Morgan waved her hand. "It's what I'm here for, right? So where's my…"

"Your compensation's right in there." George pointed to her ARCUS sitting on the desk.

Morgan retrieved her orbment and flipped open the cover. A new brown-colored quartz was now inserted into one of the smaller slots, freshly synthesized from the sepith crystals she had collected from her field study.

"By the way, I also took the liberty of looking at your master quartz, and I've got some good news for you," George added. "Your master quartz grew quite a bit since the last time we saw each other. I'm sure you know what that means."

"It means I can use more arts now, right?" Morgan guessed.

"Got it in one." George nodded. "Now you can use the orbal art 'Frost Edge'. Add in your new quartz, and now you have a total of four arts at your disposal."

"Four?" Morgan was confused. "I thought I only had three."

"You didn't know?" George scratched his head. "Your master quartz can use the arts 'Tear' and 'Aqua Bleed' by default. That's a healing art and an offensive art. Then you have 'Crest' from the new quartz and the newly learned 'Frost Edge'." He held up four fingers. "That makes four."

Morgan let the revelation sink in for a moment before groaning and giving herself a facepalm. "Why didn't I know that before? That could've been so useful during my field study!"

The second year student smirked. "Well, better to know now than never, right?"

Just then, the door to the building opened behind Morgan and a male voice hollered, "Yo, George! I'm here to hang out again!"

'Huh?' Morgan perked up. 'I think I recognize that voice…'

"Hey, Crow!" George greeted the newest arrival. "Perfect timing! Morgan, this is Crow. He's one of my friends in my year."

Morgan turned to face George's friend. It was as she suspected; it was the badanaed second year she encountered last month with Rean. Nothing about him had changed since they last met, except for the fact that he wasn't carrying his drawstring bag. It looked he had recognized her as well, because his eyes widened as soon as he saw her face. "Waaait…" He bent over slightly to get a better look at her. "Haven't I seen you somewhere before?"

"Last month, in front of the Student Union," Morgan stated. "You gave me and my classmate directions to the student council room. You also tricked him into giving you money."

George raised an eyebrow when he heard the last part. "Crooooow? Care to explain?"

"H-Hey, I wasn't trying to hustle anyone, honest!" Crow attempted to defend himself. "I was just showing them a trick and sort of...forgot to give it back."

"You...forgot."

Crow was immediately met with two pairs of unconvinced eyes boring holes into him. Hastily trying to find some way to change the subject, he turned to Morgan. "S-So, you're George's new delivery girl, huh? Never would've guessed. Like he said, my name's Crow. Crow Armbrust." He pointed to himself with his thumb.

"Morgan Daraen," Morgan introduced herself. "And before you ask, I don't have any money on me."

"Lay that off already…" The second-year's shoulders slumped forward slightly.

"First impressions are important, you know," Morgan chastised him. "Based off of yours, you seem to be quite the trickster, and if there's one thing I've learned about tricksters, it's that you never trust them when it comes to matters pertaining to money."

Crow's shoulder slumped even further. George let out a whistle. "Daaang. Shot down AND burned by a girl you just met! Wonder how Angie would react if she heard about this…"

"Don't you effing dare!" He glared at his chubby friend.

George laughed, unfazed by the other second year. "Anyways, Crow hangs around here pretty often, so get used to seeing him around," he said to Morgan. "The two of us go back to last year. Formed a little group with Towa and another girl named Angelica. Have you met Angelica, by any chance?"

Morgan shook her head. The name was unfamiliar to her. "Don't think I have."

"Good." Crow immediately cut in. "The longer you stay away from that she-devil, the better."

"Come on, Crow," George reprimanded his friend. "That's no way to talk about someone you know."

"Is she really that bad of a person?" Morgan inquired.

"Well, it's less that she's 'bad' and more like…" Crow snapped his fingers. "What's the word I'm looking for…libodinous?"

"Libidinous." George corrected.

"Yeah, that!"

"Uh...huh?" Morgan tilted her head in confusion.

"Just look that up later," Crow said. "Anyways, she has short purple hair and wears a biker outfit; if you see anyone matching that description, run. Trust me, this goes doubly for you since you're a girl."

Morgan was about to say something about how it would be difficult to trust someone who left with her classmate's money without thinking twice, but before she could comment ,her ARCUS started ringing. Morgan turned around, flipped open the orbment, and spoke into it. "Hello?"

" _Hello, Morgan."_ Emma's voice spoke through the orbment. _"Am I interrupting you?"_

"Nope," she affirmed. "I'm completely free right now. Did you need something?"

" _Well, you see, I promised Fie that I would help her go over some of the material we learned today,"_ Emma explained. _"We arranged to meet at the library, but she hasn't shown up yet. Have you seen her around the campus by any chance?"_

"Hmmm…" Morgan tried to recall if she saw the silver-haired girl after classes ended for the day. "Can't say I have. Have you tried calling her?"

" _I did,"_ the class president said. _"At any rate, I was just curious. If you do happen to spot Fie for me, tell her I'm waiting in the library, okay?"_

"Will do. See you later." With that, Morgan hung up. Not wanting to leave Emma hanging and seeing how she didn't have anything else better to do, she decided to look for Fie. She turned around and gestured at George and Crow, who were talking amongst themselves behind the counter.

"I'd love to stay and chat, but I think I need to be heading out now!" Morgan called out to her upperclassmen. "Thanks again for today, George!"

George grinned. "That should be my line!" Nonetheless, he raised his hand to wave goodbye.

Morgan started walking towards the exit. Before she opened it, she turned one last time. "Oh, and it's been nice meeting you, Crow! Try to get by classmate's mira back or else he'll start charging interest!"

Crow's eyes squinted. "You're just pulling my leg, aren't you?"

Morgan winked. "Who wants to know?" With that, she left the Engineering Building to look for a stray classmate.

* * *

After a bit of searching, Morgan found Fie napping on a bench outside the old schoolhouse.

'I suppose that explains why she wasn't picking up her ARCUS,' Morgan thought. 'I'm surprised she can even sleep on a hard surface like this.'

Deciding not to wait any longer, Morgan gently nudged the sleeping girl's shoulder. "Rise and shine, sleepyhead."

Fie's eyes blinked open. "Ugh…" she groaned.

"You know, there are better places to take a nap than on a bench," Morgan quipped.

The silver-haired girl sat up and yawned. "Beats sleeping the ground."

Morgan snorted. "Okay, fair enough. Anyways, Emma was asking for you, so I figured I'd look for you. Aren't you supposed to be studying at the library with her?"

Fie thought for a moment. "Guess I forgot."

With that, she stood up from the bench and dusted her skirt. She started to leave, but then she stopped herself and turned around. "By the way," Fie addressed to Morgan. "Can you sense it?"

Morgan tilted her head in confusion. "Sense what?"

Fie's eyes drifted towards the old schoolhouse. "This building," she said cryptically. "It's changed again. A lot."

"Wha…?" Morgan looked to the building in disbelief.

The silver-haired girl sighed. "I figured if anyone could sense it, it was you. Guess I was wrong."

Morgan turned back to her classmate. "What do you…" However, Fie had already broke off into a sprint, leaving Morgan by herself.

She looked to the old schoolhouse. "It's...changed…?" For some reason, Morgan started to feel herself being drawn to the building and started to walk towards it. Before she knew it, she was standing in front of the entrance. After a moment of hesitation, she stretched out her hand to touch the door handle, bracing herself for anything.

Her fingers made contact with the metal surface. It felt cold.

And nothing else happened.

"Heh." Morgan grunted to herself. "What am I so afraid of? It's just a door."

She pulled her hand back and walked away from the building. 'Still, has Fie been exploring this place by herself?' she wondered, looking at the spot where the silver-haired teen had stood. 'Did Principal Vandyck ask her? Does Rean know about this? Wait, Rean has the key to this place; how did she even get in? Did she pick the lock or something? How does she even know lockpicking?'

All these questions started to storm in her, but eventually Morgan shook her head. "Never mind. No use in worrying about it now." She turned around and made an "I see you" gesture with her fingers towards the old schoolhouse. "I'm watching you. Don't even think about starting anything suspicious."

The old schoolhouse, naturally, didn't respond. Then again, it would've been a huge problem if it did. With that, Morgan left the area for the time being. Maybe some studying with Emma and Fie could help clear her mind...

* * *

 **Author's note: Okay, the reason why this is another short intermission chapter is because Smash Bros. Ultimate came out and I've been playing it nonstop for two whole weeks without doing much else. Whenever I did try to do something else, it would only be for a little while and then I'd go right back to playing Smash again (seriously, it's that addicting). As such, the most I could write was short snippets rather than a full chapter, but I felt bad trying to throw what I wrote away; thus, this "chapter", if you could even call it that, was the result. Fret not, for the framework for the next main segment is practically complete; I've just been...preoccupied dealing with a really big detour as of late.**

 **(P.S. I'm a Dark Pit/Ganon main)**


	13. May 23rd - Part 1

**CHAPTER 2 - EQUIVOCATION**

For everyone, there comes a time when they commit themselves to doing something only for them to question some time later if what they have committed themselves to is really worth it in the long run. For Morgan, that time came when she found herself awake at 5:30 in the morning on a free day.

Following her return from Celdic, Morgan had expressed a desire to train herself to become an even earlier riser than she was initially. Call it the result of a stubborn competitive streak, but a part of her didn't want to feel left behind by her classmates, and now that she was officially a year older, there was no better time to put her words into action than the present. Think of it as a belated new year's resolution. Thus, in the weeks following her birthday, Morgan started conditioning herself to start waking up earlier, first by gradually easing in through setting her alarm clock at earlier times before letting her internal body clock do the rest. In fact, today marked the first day that she was able to wake up without the use of her alarm clock.

Unfortunately, the more she grew accustomed to waking up at earlier hours, the more she realized that waking up early was pointless if she didn't have anything to fill in the gap between waking up and going to class. For instance, Rean and Laura had their daily sword training, Gaius was already an early riser by default, and Alisa had morning lacrosse practice every other day. Several of her other classmates had their own obligations or clubs to attend to as well. This left Morgan with the question of what she was going to do now. She could do some prestudying as she did with the previous free day and then hang out at Kirsche's. Or maybe she could swing by the Engineering Building later to see if George had anything she could help with? Maybe she could start the day with a morning walk? These were all certainly viable options, but today Morgan wanted a little something...more to her morning.

It was when she saw both of her orbments resting on her desk that Morgan realized there WAS something else she could do. In her mind, she was wondering why she didn't think of this earlier. Getting out of bed, she changed into a casual outfit of a dark purple hoodie over a tan tank top with matching tan pants. Her clothing was admittedly on the lighter side, but they were also easy to move around in. Besides, with what she had in mind, the morning cold shouldn't bother her too much.

Once she was dressed, she strapped her belt to her waist and retrieved her weapon and orbments. She also grabbed a small notepad and a pencil and put them into one of her pouches. Then, she quietly exited her room and tiptoed her way down the stairs and out of the dormitory. Fortunately, no one was scheduled to cook breakfast, so she wouldn't have to explain where she was going with her equipment. Once outside, she hung a right to walk onto the highway east of Trista. Technically, there weren't any regulations saying that she couldn't be out here by herself, but that didn't stop her from looking around her to make sure no one was watching. When she ventured far enough and decided that the coast was clear, Morgan flipped open her ARCUS. She had made a few adjustments to her quartz lineup since George looked at it last time, adding in a few of the quartzes that Omar had given her. Most of them had various passive effects, such as faster recharge time outside of battle or simply being an extra reserve of energy for the orbment to draw from. However, there was only one that Morgan really wanted to try out. Closing her orbment, she entered a casting position.

"ARCUS, activate!" An orbal aura formed around her. After several moments, she thrust her orbment forward with her palm stretched out and called the name of the art. "Fire Bolt!" On cue, an orb of fire formed and shot forward, eventually fizzling out of existence as it flew without hitting anything. The time it took to cast the art from start to finish was approximately eight seconds.

So she can cast a basic-level art. Great. But what else could she do with it? That was what she wanted to find out.

Under normal circumstances, an orbment would draw orbal energy from a quartz and eject it as the intended art or passive effect, with a different quartz resulting in a different effect. In other words, each quartz had its own hardwired "identity" that an orbment would be able to "manifest" and then "use". This was the case for the majority of quartzes, though there were a few exceptions. The first was master quartzes, which contained greater amounts of orbal energy and thus could be used to cast a variety of arts depending on how much orbal energy is drawn from them. Basically, their reserves allows them to store multiple "identities" that are accessed by "charging" to a certain "level" before releasing.

The second was in the event that the casting process is interrupted. Since each tactical orbment is synchronized with a user, the user themselves can have an influence on the outcome of the art. Most beginning users have a tendency to stay still in one place while they are casting. This is because casting an art requires mental concentration, first to seek out the art they wish to cast and then directing that art towards a desired target. It is the most reliable way to cast an art, but it is also potentially the most dangerous as it leaves you open to attack. When that concentration is broken, usually after getting hit or if the user voluntarily cancels the art themselves, the casting process is also broken and the caster is sent back to square one. However, there also exists a third outcome where the caster can unleash their art prematurely while in the middle of casting but before the art is finished. People will realize soon, however, that such an action is dangerous and not recommended as the art will fail and not work as intended, often resulting in a random misfire.

At least, that's where most people would stop.

If each of the quartzes had an "identity" hardwired into them, then would it not be safe to assume that each of these "random failures" had their own "identities" as well? This hypothesis can be explained by account of master quartzes; as previously mentioned, they contain different arts that can be unleashed at different levels depending on the amount of power used. If that were the case, wouldn't quartzes whose main function is to shoot out offensive arts work the same way? Unfortunately, the answer is not always clear as even a second's difference could result in an entirely different outcome, and it would be difficult for a normal human to remember the specific time and charge necessary to replicate the same outcome, especially in a stressful situation. At least, for any normal human with no way to calculate the estimated amount of time it would take to reach a certain stage to realize a certain outcome.

Sadly, Morgan wasn't that kind of human...yet. What she could do, however, was come up with several estimates so she could reach at least a few notable outcomes.

The first outcome was the "initial" outcome, where the order to release the art is given almost immediately after the casting process begins. At this stage, the amount of energy amassed wouldn't be enough to make a profound difference yet, almost guaranteeing the same result every time. Morgan performed this exact process, activating her ARCUS and then immediately thrusting forward to cast her art, only to be met with a tiny fire explosion that lasted for an instant and was only slightly bigger than her hand. She performed the motion two more times and got the same outcome both times.

"It looks like it could be some sort of 'get off me' attack," Morgan theorized to herself as she set her orbment down and took out her notepad and pencil. "Or maybe I can use it while I'm in the middle of attacking? Maybe a 'slash one, slash two, magic attack' sort of thing?" Morgan tried to think of any other applications, but failed to think of any more for the time being. After jotting down her findings, she put away her writing utensils and proceeded to phase two, which was the "halfway" outcome. As the name suggested, it was the outcome that occurred when the casting was around halfway done. Usually it was around this point that the general idea for the shape of the art would be realized by the orbment before building up more energy to unleash the finished product. Morgan activated her ARCUS again, this time counting the number of seconds in her head. Since the time it took to cast a full Fire Bolt was around eight seconds, that meant that she would need to release at four seconds. Upon counting to four, she released the art, resulting in a small orb of fire flying forward at a moderately slow pace. Morgan performed this process again multiple times for consistency's sake, occasionally shortening and lengthening the casting time by less than a second to see different effects.

"As expected of it being around the halfway point," Morgan noted down in her notepad. "The art is around half the size of an actual Fire Bolt and goes around half the speed, and increasing the casting time increases both size and speed. It's definitely not going to be winning any contests, but at least it gets the long-range job done." Satisfied with the results, she moved on to the third outcome, which was the most unwieldy and recognizable of the bunch due to it being the outcome most people encounter. This was when the art was close to being completed but was released right before completion. Like a defective, unfinished product that is rushed to the public, there can be all sorts of problems, hence why Morgan gave this outcome the affectionate nickname of the "ever-troublesome" outcome, or the "E.T." outcome for short.

Morgan readied herself and activated her ARCUS. First, she cast the art as normal so she could get a fair estimate on where she should cut off the casting process. Then, she performed the process again, only this time she released her art about a second before completion. An orb of fire burst into existence as before, but instead of flying forward in a straight line, it arced downwards and crashed into the ground, setting the ground ablaze with a small explosion. The unfinished art also had a slight recoil, causing Morgan to step backwards in order to maintain her balance.

"So by this point, the art is at full size but it doesn't go as far?" Morgan guessed. She performed the process several more times and from several different angles, but they all pretty much ended up the same way. "At least the explosion itself can be a hindrance," Morgan remarked. "The fact that it sends at an arc can be a bit of a problem…" She started mumbling to herself, trying to find ways to work around the E.T. outcome. "The amount of force it has is relative to its mass and acceleration. The size of the fire ball means it has more mass to it, but it doesn't go as far…" Her eyes then widened. "That's right! The casting process was cut off before it could release with optimal acceleration! Because of that, it doesn't start off as quickly and becomes subject to air friction and gravity sooner than it should have!" Morgan looked to her orbment. "I wonder…"

Morgan activated her orbment once more. This time, right as Morgan was about to release the art prematurely, she put one leg behind her and raised her ARCUS over her head. When she gave the command to fire, she moved her hand forcefully in a downwards arc, as if she were throwing a ball. Thanks to the slight push in momentum, the unfinished art flew a bit farther before it crashed into the ground. Furthermore, her arm motion and new standing position was able to offset the recoil provided by the art.

Morgan nodded in approval. "Mhm! I can be such a genius!" She performed the maneuver a few more times until she was satisfied. She eagerly wrote her observations down in her observations. Feeling that she had reached a good stopping point for today, she gathered all her belongings and started heading back.

"Now that I think about it…" Morgan muttered to herself as she walked. "The E.T. outcome looked like one of the spells Father used to use. I mean, they aren't the same, but the resemblance is striking. Let's see...was it Elfire or Arcfire?"

Before she could ponder further, she heard a growling noise from behind her. Instinctively, she turned around with her weapon raised, coming face-to-face with a canine monster. Upon being spotted, it barked several times before lunging straight at her. Morgan deftly dodged the attack.

"Looks like I'm not getting away without a fight," Morgan remarked as she and the monster carefully circled around each other. She then flashed a cocky grin and retrieved her ARCUS from her pouch. "Let's see if I can take what I've learned today and put it into practice!" She rushed forward to meet the monster in combat.

* * *

"...Aaand that's why I was out on the highway fighting a monster."

Instructor Sara, who was seated across from her with her arms folded, sighed. The two of them were currently seated in Sara's quarters on the first floor. All things considered, it was very spacious. Aside from containing the standard issued essentials such as a bed, desk, vanity, and drawers, there was also enough room for two small couches and a small coffee table. Of course, this being Instructor Sara's room meant that her tastes were on full display, so on top of there being several crates filled with bottled alcoholic beverages, there were also individual bottles of beer, champagne, and wine dotted around the complex. Morgan theorized that her instructor probably had a drink for every occasion imaginable.

"While I have to commend you for your handling of the situation," Instructor Sara said, "the fact that you were out on the highway by yourself is something I can't overlook as your instructor. You could have gotten hurt. Today's a free day, so if you wanted something for target practice, you could have used the school's facilities."

"I know that…"

"Do you really?"

That was such a paradoxical question. If Morgan said "yes", then Sara would scold her for not knowing better. If she said "no", her instructor would scold her for lying in the first place.

Fortunately, Morgan was saved from having to provide an answer due to Sara relenting her authoritative expression. "But…I can't exactly give you too much flak," the older woman sighed. "Especially when you're not the only one who uses the monsters as combat practice."

"You go out there too?" Morgan asked.

The violet-haired instructor nodded. "A gal's gotta stay in shape somehow, right? Combat instructing is good and all, but all the practice in the world means jack if you can't handle the real thing. So, every now and then, I wander out there to lay into the wildlife." She then pointed to Morgan with her index finger. "People like you and me, we gotta keep ourselves sharp, right?"

Morgan perked up at that.

"What, surprised?" Sara flashed a grin. "Don't be. I'm your instructor; it's my JOB to know stuff about each and every one of my darling students. Try all you can to hide it, but there are just some things that physical exams can't cover up." She pointed to her head to prove her point.

Truth be told, Morgan never once doubted her instructor's capabilities. As much flak she and the rest of Class VII gave her for her behavior, it was without question that she was indeed powerful. If there was anyone who could have caught on, it was definitely her. Nevertheless, Morgan remained cautious. "How much do you know?"

"Well, if we're talking about your background, then the school gave me the basics on your...special case," her instructor replied. "Long story short, you were given a personal invitation from one of the higher-ups to attend the academy in exchange for assisting with one of its new programs, which you now know as Class VII."

Morgan nodded. "Yeah, that sounds about right."

"Personally, I never really cared much about all that mumbo-jumbo; I mean, I'm sure you're not the first person to attend Thors via invitation. What I'm interested in is your skill. I've only got my observations to base things off from, but I know talent when I see it. Actually, I've been looking for an excuse to have a one-on-one talk with with you for about…" She glanced upwards to think. "Ooh, since the beginning of the school year?"

"You had your eyes on me for that long?" Morgan said suavely. "Am I supposed to feel flattered right now? Cause I feel very flattered. Please, do go ahead and keep praising me."

"Hold your horses there, missy; I'm not finished yet." Sara put out her hand. "Like I said, I can tell you've got talent, but this brings me to a question I've been meaning to ask…" She proceeded to hunch over. "What's stopping you from using all of it?"

"Uh…" Morgan's lighthearted mood quickly dissipated, being left with one that was filled with slight nervousness. "All of what?"

"It's in the way you fight," Sara brought up. "Let's be real here: even if your weapon has two forms, a one-handed axe isn't the cleanest weapon to fight with. It's typically outmatched in range, it's difficult to block attacks with, and the way you swing it is different from a sword. It lacks finesse and versatility compared to more common weapons, so it exists mostly to fill a niche. Most people wouldn't even have the guts to try using it in an actual fight, and yet here you are, using it like it's nobody's business."

"Practice makes perfect, right?" Morgan reasoned. "Besides, we already have enough sword fighters in our class."

"I'm not here to tell you what you should or shouldn't be using," the instructor continued, "but the way you swing that thing around, the way you move around in battle, the way you constantly stay aware of your surroundings, even on fights that aren't yours...it's not a coincidence that you were one of two people who escaped that trap door on the first day. You remember that?"

"Yeah." Morgan snickered. How could she not remember that? "In hindsight, I got pretty lucky with my position."

"Lucky or not, the way you acted was automatic and professional. Most military officers would kill to have trainees who could react the way you did. Naturally, it got me thinking: 'What did you go through in order for your reflexes to be like that?'" Sara straightened her back and crossed her right leg over her left. "Let's face it: you know that I know that you're really smart. Like, not just in the academic sense, although you're pretty great in that, too. You've got an unconventional kit at your disposal and yet you're finding ways to make it work against people who are physically stronger than you. Remember our peer evaluations from last week? Well, most of the feedback about you tends to agree that fighting you is challenging more for the brains side than the brawn." She paused for a moment to catch her breath. "My point is, there's no way you could achieve that level of skill without some actual practice. I think you know where I'm going with this."

Morgan nodded her head again. This time, she said nothing in response.

"Look, you aren't in trouble or anything," Instructor Sara clarified, "and I'm not about to make you tell me your life story here. I'm a teacher for crying out loud, not a counselor." That made Morgan laugh a bit. "I just want you to realize that this is a place where you can grow and better yourself by challenging others. But to that end, you won't be going anywhere if you keep sticking with the basics. You dig me?"

"I just want to make one thing clear," Morgan spoke. "I'm not trying to hold myself back or anything. I really am giving this program everything I've got. I'm just in the middle of trying out some new things right now."

"Oh, I know that," her instructor responded. "You said before that you never went to a proper school in these parts. Still not sure how you managed that, though…"

"It's a long story…" Morgan scratched her head.

"Heh, I'll bet it is," Sara half-snorted. "Buuuut that's a story for another day. It sounds like you've already got a plan for moving forward, so I won't push you. In the meantime, though, I still want to keep an eye on your progress, so the next time you go out on the highway in the morning, give me a holler. I'll come with you as a chaperone." She winked. "I'll even give you a private lesson, free of charge."

"Sounds like a good bargain." Morgan smiled. "How come you're being so nice and...teacherly today?"

"Ouch! Way to kill my mood!" Sara pouted. "Like I said, looking out for my students is part of the job description. And besides…" She stood up from the couch. "The sooner you start showing off what you're made of, the sooner a certain swordswoman can finally get a new female sparring partner."

Morgan laughed sheepishly as Sara walked away. The thought of having a one-on-one duel with Laura and living to tell the tale was still something that was far from her mind, especially given her current state. Maybe if she tried using some of her old skills, then she could use the element of surprise to gain an edge. But to do that, she'd have to…

Her thoughts were whisked away once she heard the sound of bottles clinking against each other. Morgan looked behind her to find her instructor holding a glass bottle above one of the wooden crates marked "B".

"What are you doing?" Morgan asked without thinking.

"What else?" Sara replied dryly. "I'm getting a drink. I talked waaaay too much for one morning!"

"Don't you talk a lot every morning?" Morgan retorted.

"Not on a day off, I don't." She reached down into the crate and held up another bottle. "Wanna join me?"

"I think I'm in the mood for something NON-alcoholic today," Morgan politely declined.

Her instructor shrugged and put the bottle on her desk. "Your loss. Beer's basically liquid bread; it's good for you!" She opened the bottle that was in her hands and took a good long swig of booze. "Ahhh! Tastes great!"

Deciding now was a better time than any to leave before her teacher drunk up a storm, Morgan stood up to excuse herself. Before she left, however, she remembered one thing she wanted to ask that was still on her mind. "By the way, before I leave, can I ask a question?"

Sara plopped down onto her bed with bottle in hand. "What's up?"

"How come you're singling me out?"

"Uh…" In her pre-drunken stupor, Sara tilted her head in confusion.

"To bring up what you said earlier, there were two people who escaped the trap during the orienteering exercise," Morgan explained. "Why aren't you doing anything for the other person? Aren't you curious about her?"

"Oh, her?" The violet-haired instructor shrugged her shoulders. "Eh, not really? I mean, I'm one of the reasons why she's here in the first place, sooo…"

"For real?" Morgan couldn't hold back her surprise.

Her exclamation made Sara realize what she just said. Instead of panicking, however, she simply took another drink. "That's all I'll say on that matter. If you want the full story, you'll have to ask her yourself. We both know how conversationally challenged she can be, though, so good luck with that!"

"But-"

"Ta ta, little Wunderkind! Enjoy the rest of your free day! And don't let me catch you wandering around the highway again!" She picked up a random magazine that was lying on the floor, flipped it open, and started humming loudly. Morgan clearly wasn't going to get anything else out of her homeroom teacher, so she moved to exit the room.

"You're reading it upside down" were the last words Morgan spoke as she closed the door behind her.

* * *

After her loaded talk with her instructor, Morgan was no longer in the mood to do any studying, so once she returned to her room, she changed into her school uniform and left the dormitory again. A morning drink and a quick bite to eat always helped to ease her mind in moments like these, so she walked to Kirsche's Cafe and Inn with the hope that she could spend the rest of her morning in peace.

As soon as she set foot into the cafe, however, all hopes of having a quiet morning immediately dissipated when a familiar male voice called out to her.

"Yo! Morgan!"

Waving to her at a table off to the far left of the building was Crow, wearing his green school uniform and white bandana. He also brought his drawstring bag with him today, which was resting on the table.

"Crow." She walked up to his table to greet him. "Enjoying some peace and quiet for once? Or are you in the middle of planning your next con act?"

"As if!" Crow feigned being appalled. "I'll have you know I'm being a perfectly law-abiding citizen right now! I'm just waiting around for an appointment." He glanced to the side. "Speaking of, though, they're sure taking their sweet time. Way to keep a guy hangin'!"

"Somehow, I have the feeling that you've done the same thing at least a few times," Morgan retorted.

"Oho! Feelin' cheeky today, are we?" Crow slyly raised an eyebrow.

"It's been a long day for me," she admitted.

"It's not even noon yet."

"Long morning, then." She pulled up a chair and sat down next to him.

"What are you doing?" asked Crow.

"Sitting down, obviously," Morgan stated. "Hope your date doesn't mind me keeping you company till they show up."

"Seriously?" The bandanaed teen scratched his head. "I thought you hated me."

"I didn't say anything about liking or hating," Morgan refuted. "You just gave a bad first impression. I'm always willing to give second chances, though, so please. Do entertain me."

The second year grunted. "You've got spunk. I like that! It's pretty refreshing. Not every day you see a first year who's willing to talk back to a second year."

"I guess I'm just fortunate that all the second year students I've met so far treat each other casually." Morgan shrugged her shoulders.

"Yeah, 'respecting your elders' is a pretty big deal," Crow agreed. "Not really one to care about it myself, but hey. That's Erebonian culture for you." He then snapped his fingers. "Oh yeah! I ran into Rean yesterday. You know, that friend I took 50 mira fom?"

"Oh, I know all too well," replied Morgan. "What about him?"

"Get this: I offered him a chance to get his mira back, and he said to keep it! Didn't even charge me interest!"

"Did he really?" Morgan was mildly surprised. "Never would have pegged him as the type to wave off a debt out of pity. Unless…" She gave a scrutinizing stare. "You didn't actually have any mira to give him, did you?"

"I...did have some on hand."

Morgan put a hand to her ear. "Hark, was that hesitation I heard in your voice?"

"You're just imagining things."

"Yo! Kept you waiting, huh?"

The two students turned in the direction of the new voice. Two young boys that Morgan periodically saw around Trista were walking towards them. One boy had brown hair and was wearing a long-sleeved shirt while the other had green hair and wore a short-sleeved shirt. The latter was also carrying a small bag in his hands.

'This wasn't the date I was expecting…' Morgan thought.

"Sorry we're late!" the green-haired boy apologized to Crow.

"Ah, I'll let you off the hook this time," he said, waving his hand. "Better not let it happen again, though."

"Who's this?" the brown-haired boy asked, acknowledging Morgan's presence. "Is she your girlfriend?"

"How come every time I sit next to a boy, that's the first thing people ask me?" Morgan wondered aloud.

"Happens to every girl at least once," Crow quipped. "Although, I wouldn't mind having someone like you as a girlfriend…"

"Don't push your luck too hard, Trickster." Morgan turned to the boys to introduce herself. "I'm Morgan. Crow's my upperclassman at school. It's nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too!" said the green-haired boy. "I'm Rudy!"

"And I'm Kay." The brown-haired boy raised his hand. "Hey, since you're here, why don't you join us?"

"That's a good idea!" Crow agreed.

"What are you guys going to do?" questioned Morgan.

"You'll see," Crow said with a wink. "You two got the goods, right?"

Both of the boys nodded. Rudy held up his bag. Kay reached into his pockets and brought out a familiar looking deck of cards.

"Hey, that's a Blade deck!" Morgan recognized.

"Oh, what? Do you play?" Crow reached into his uniform and brought out his own deck. "I've been telling everyone who'll listen about it. Even handed a deck over to old Micht at the pawn shop to spread the love."

'Rean said he got his deck from the pawn store, right?' Morgan remembered. 'So that means the deck originally belonged to Crow.' She smirked to herself. 'What are the odds…'

"Wanna join in?" Crow started setting up the game. "Bets start at 3."

"Bets?" Morgan looked at Crow, then at his bag on the table. Immediately, she connected the dots and her jaw nearly hit the floor. "Seriously? You're gambling with children?"

"I mean, that depends on your definition of 'gamble'." Crow opened his drawstring bag to reveal a treasure trove of candy, from chocolate bars to lollipops. "We're just playing for candy!"

"Yeah! It's completely harmless!" Rudy set his bag on the table and opened it, revealing a smaller stash of candy. Kay, meanwhile, had taken his seat and was ready to play.

"You're being a bad influence," Morgan said as the game went underway. 'Though even if I say that, he really does get along with the kids, doesn't he? I guess there's no harm in playing with them every now and then…'

"All right, take that!" Crow put down a 6.

"Oh, you're in for it now…" Kay grumbled.

"Don't give up, Kay!" Rudy cheered for him.

Kay, after some thinking, put down a 7.

Crow immediately answered with his signature grin. "You've activated my trap card!" He placed down a Bolt card, rendering Kay's card useless. "Take this!"

Kay responded with a smirk of his own. "Then I'll activate MY trap card!" He triumphantly threw down a Mirror card, swapping both his and Crow's card piles. "Mirror!"

Crow's face turned from confident to shock. "Aww man, are you serious?!" He dejectedly showed his last card, which was a 2. The game was Kay's.

"You did it, Kay!" Rudy held up his hand for a high-five.

Kay completed the gesture. "Hehe. Piece of cake!"

Crow held out his bag, allowing Kay to take three pieces of candy of his choosing. "D-Dang it! That's the last one you're getting out of me!" He turned to Morgan. "Yo, Morgan! Wanna lend me a hand? I'll give you twice as many back, promise."

"Sure, I'll play a few rounds," Morgan decided. "But I'm NOT playing for candy, just so we're clear."

"I wanna go next!" Rudy raised his hand.

"Heh. Bring it on, Rudy!"

Needless to say, Morgan ended up staying for more than just a few rounds.

* * *

"You fell for it!" Crow threw down a Mirror.

"Gah! Again?!" Morgan put down a 5, only to be met with a 7 from Crow, resulting in his victory.

"Heh, that makes it...five wins in a row now?" the bandanaed teen said smugly. "Points for persistence."

"Why can't I win?" Morgan grumbled. "Rudy! Kay! What's your secret to beating this guy?"

"Just believe in the power of the sweets!" Rudy proclaimed.

"I don't have any sweets!"

"Then…" Rudy tried to think of something else. "Believe in the power of the cards!"

"It's like rock-paper-scissors…" Kay mumbled to himself. "We beat Crow, Crow beats Morgan, and Morgan beats us."

"I couldn't have said that any better myself," Crow remarked.

"Well, you know what they say…" Morgan spoke with a defiant expression. "If you keep chipping away at a rock, it'll break apart eventually."

Crow looked at her oddly. "That's a pretty child-like response, coming from you."

"Got a problem, Trickster?"

"Also, why're you always calling me that?"

"Cause that's what you are," she said as-a-matter-of-factly. "I can't get a good read on you. It's like every time I think I've pinned you down, you always do something that makes me think twice. You're tricky that way."

Crow wasn't sure whether to feel flattered or ridiculed. "You know, you sound like one of those older ladies who hands out pet names for her kids."

Morgan's eyebrow twitched. "Maybe I should start calling you 'Rude' instead…"

"Hey, nothing wrong with being old," the second year replied. "Honestly, I've got a thing for older women myself."

At that moment, Morgan's ARCUS started to ring, which startled Rudy and Kyle. After assuring them that everything was alright, she stood up and walked to the corner of the cafe to answer the call. "Hello?"

" _Hey, Morgan."_ It was George. _"Sorry to call you out on a free day, but you got a sec?"_

"Sure I do," she said. "Got something you need me to do?"

" _Just a few orbal deliveries around Trista,"_ he explained. _"I'd get it done myself, but I'm working on a side project that needs my immediate attention."_

"Sounds important for a side project," she commented.

A chuckle was heard from the other side. _"Yeah, I guess it kind of is, isn't it?"_

"Alright, I'll swing by the Engineering Building soon. You can give me the rest of the details there."

" _Sure thing. See you there."_ With that, the line hung up.

She turned to the boys at the table. "Let me guess…" Crow said. "George needs you for errands again?"

"Got it in one," she answered. "How'd you know?"

"Just a hunch." He shrugged his shoulders. "Any reason he needs someone to do the heavy lifting for him?"

"I don't know. He said he was working on a side project that needs his attention."

"A side project?" Crow's eyes widened with realization. "Oh, cause she...right, that makes sense."

"Are you leaving, Morgan?" Rudy asked.

"Yup. Duty calls. Thanks for inviting me to play, Rudy, Kay."

"Sure thing!" "We'll see you later!"

"And good games, Crow," Morgan added. "I'll get you one of these days, just you wait!"

"Heh, I'll take you on any time!" The bandanaed teen smirked and saluted with two fingers as Morgan left the cafe.

She was definitely in a much better mood now.

* * *

 **Author's note: A few minor changes. First, I've changed the name of one of my OCs due to him sharing a name with another prominent NPC. It won't make too much of an impact, but "Old Man Otto" is now "Old Man Omar." Second, I've finally decided to put in chapter separators as well as give titles to each chapter. Just some minor tweaks to make this fic more like a story.**

 **2019 is looking to be a busy year for me on top of it being filled with games and anime I've been looking forward to, so once again, prepare for updates to be scarce in the coming months. Hope to see you all next time, whenever that may be!** **（；^ω^）**


	14. May 23rd - Part 2

Morgan arrived at the Engineering Building and opened the door. "Hey, George! I'm here…" Her voice trailed off as she looked to the side. "Whoa."

To her right, George was kneeling by a strange machine that hadn't been there previously. It possessed the familiar bipedal shape of a bicycle but it also had engine parts attached to it. The frame was colored purple and there was a piece of brown leather where the seat usually was.

George stood up and took off the safety mask he was wearing. He then turned to face her. "Hey! Glad you could make it." He noticed that Morgan's gaze directed at the machine he was monitoring. "Oh, curious, aren'tcha?"

"I've never seen anything like that before," Morgan admitted. "What is it?"

"This is an orbal bike." The chubby boy put his hand on the leather seat. "You may have guessed it, but it's basically a bicycle powered by orbal energy. I picked it up from the Roer Institute of Technology a while back. Angie, Towa, and Crow have been helping me put it together ever since."

Morgan then remembered their conversation over the ARCUS. "So this is that side project you were talking about…"

"Sure is." He took off his gloves. "I'll get the deliveries ready in a sec. How's your morning been so far?"

"Demoralizing." Morgan's shoulders sulked. "I kept losing to Crow in a children's card game."

"Oh, were you playing Blade with him?"he guessed.

"Yup," she affirmed. "Got any tips on how to beat him?"

"Hmm…"George thought to himself for a bit. "I guess...be a kid?"

"What does that mean?" Morgan tilted her head in confusion.

"I mean, you've probably seen him around playing Blade with some boys, right?" he said. "From what I've seen, he loses on purpose."

"Seriously?" The thought hadn't even crossed her mind.

"Well, luck of the draw also has something to do with it," George admitted, "but he plays for the love of the game, and you can't exactly have fun playing if you're the one who keeps winning."

Morgan snorted. "He sure has a lot of fun winning against me."

"Eh, agree to disagree on this one, but I think the fact that you keep losing to him proves he thinks you're worth playing seriously against." He shrugged his shoulders. "Could go either way. He's always been a tough nut to crack."

"How DID you and him meet anyways?" Morgan wondered. "You guys seem like complete opposites, and he couldn't be any more different from Towa if he tried…"

"That's a story for another time." George carefully placed a set of bags onto one of the tables and handed Morgan a sheet of paper. "Now, some of these things are kind of fragile, so you might want to make multiple trips to make things easier. I want you to hand these over to these locations…"

* * *

The first delivery took Morgan to the home ec room where the Cooking Club was situated. She sought out the head of the club, a second year by the name of Nicholas, and handed him an orbal scale.

"Yep, that's the orbal scale I asked George to fix, all right," Nicholas affirmed. "I don't know how he works so fast. I'd be really lost without him."

"George is definitely talented," Morgan agreed. "But I am curious: is there a difference between this scale and other scales?"

"I take it you've used analog scales before, then?" the second year asked. "Well, these orbal scales provide more accurate and miniscule measurements, and if you weigh a container full of ingredients, it'll even subtract the container's weight for you."

"Sounds pretty handy," she remarked.

"It certainly is." Nicholas bent over and cupped his chin. "Say, pardon me for asking, but you don't happen to have an interest in cooking by any chance, do you?"

"I've...had some experience with it in the past." A bead of uneasy sweat dropped from Morgan's forehead. "Nothing I do ever seems to turn out right, though."

"Well, you know what they say: practice makes perfect." Nicholas straightened himself. "If you want to try improving yourself, you're always welcome to join the Cooking Club. Of course, I say club, but it's really just a two-person team now." The club's leader pointed to the only other person in the home ec room, a pudgy girl wearing the Class I uniform with blond hair tied into curly twintails. At the moment, she was humming to herself and tossing whatever she could find into a giant pot.

As much as Morgan would have liked to try her hand at cooking again, she was sure that the club wasn't ready for her creations, so she politely declined. She had another job to do anyways.

* * *

The second delivery stop just so happened to be right next door in the music room, which was fortunate since the next item to be delivered was a rather weighty orbal record player. The door was closed, but Morgan could hear the sound of a violin playing as she neared closer. Turning the door handle quietly so she wouldn't disturb the people inside, she poked her head in to find Elliot playing in front of three other students, likely the rest of the Wind Orchestra.

As she scanned the rest of the room, her gaze was met by Instructor Mary, who was observing from one of the desks. She walked over to the door to meet her. "Why, hello there." She lowered her voice. "Did you need something?"

"Yes, Instructor." Morgan pointed to the record player beside her. "Did you happen to have sent a record player to the Engineering Club recently?"

"As a matter of fact, I have!" the instructor responded. "Has it been fixed already?" Instructor Mary opened the door wider to take a look. "Ah, and there it is! Would you like me to help you with that?"

"That would be great, actually." Together, they lifted the device from the ground and carried it over to one of the cabinets in the corner of the music room. Soon after the record player was set down, Elliot finished playing his tune. The other students applauded him. Now that Morgan had a better look at them, she identified a bespectacled boy from Class IV carrying a violin, a green-haired girl from Class III holding a flute, and a blonde girl wearing the Class II uniform with no instrument in her hands. Morgan hypothesized that she was either a vocalist or a pianist.

Regardless, Morgan joined in the applause. "Sounding good, Elliot!"

Elliot took notice of her and flashed a grin, looking more at ease than she'd ever seen him before.

* * *

The third stop on Morgan's delivery run led her to Le Sage, the local boutique in Trista. Le Sage was actually a clothing store that got its start back in Heimdallr but in recent years grew big enough to open several smaller locations across the empire. As such, the store in Trista was smaller than what Morgan was used to, but it still carried most of the same goods from the capital. Of course, since students were required to wear their uniforms every day, Morgan found little need to shop for clothes anyways, so she rarely ever set foot into the boutique.

As soon as she entered, Morgan was greeted with the sight of two students arguing in front of a clothing rack. Both were wearing the green Thors uniforms given to commoners, but aside from that they weren't anything alike. The one causing the most commotion was the shorter of the two, a girl with yellow-green hair who spoke with a thick, country accent. The other student, meanwhile, was a boy with light-orange hair who appeared more exasperated than anything.

For the moment, Morgan paid no attention to the pair of students and went straight to the receptionist. "Excuse me," she asked the receptionist, "I'm looking for Julia?"

The receptionist smiled and raised her hand. "That would be me. How can I help you today?"

"I'm here to drop off a cash register…" It was when she hoisted the orbal cash register onto the reception desk that she realized that there was already one stationed for use on the back counter. "Uh, I thought you needed a replacement."

"Oh, don't worry. You're at the right place," Julia assured her. "We always try to have at least two working machines at all times. The one we're using right now is our spare. It's always a good idea to be prepared, right?"

"Well, I can't argue with that," Morgan agreed. "Now, where would you like me to put this?"

"I can take that off of you." Julia put her hands around the cash register and lifted it up. Contrary to her slim figure, she was able to lift it just fine. "Becky! Can you take over the register for a moment? I need to put this in the back."

Upon hearing her name, the green-haired girl broke off from her argument and saluted. "Okay! Leave it tae me!"

With her delivery finished, Morgan figured it was time for her leave, but just as she turned around, she was stopped by the accented voice. "Oy! You!"

Morgan instinctively turned around to find the girl named Becky leaning close to her face. Slightly startled, she threw up both of her hands. "Whoa! Yes, hello! Welcome to my personal space! Can I help you?"

Becky continued to silently scrutinize her until at last she spoke. "Hey, you wouldnae happen tae be from that Class VII, would ye?"

"Uh…" Morgan was slightly confused by the question, since her uniform should have already given that away. But more importantly, she was interested in the girl's accent; for some reason, she felt she had heard it somewhere before…

The male student in the room walked over and sighed. "Becky, you been here for nearly two months now. I'm sure you would have known that she was in Class VII from her uniform alone."

Becky looked at the male student and growled. "Oh, shut yer trap, Hugo! I was jus' gonnae ask if she was part of that group that went to Celdic!"

'Celdic?' Now that she mentioned it, Becky's accent did resemble the ones that some of the locals in Celdic used. Morgan specifically remembered there was one local with an accent who Group A briefly conversed with. "Yeah, I went there last month for a field study. Are you from Celdic?"

Becky put her hands on her hips and huffed. "Aye, and darn proud of it too! Didjae happen tae meet a merchant named Lymon? He's the one runnin' the produce stall."

Morgan nodded. "I think I have. Tall, brown hair, same accent as you?"

Becky's face broke into a toothy grin. "Yassss, that's him alright! I'm his daughter, Becky!"

"Wow. It really is a small world, isn't it?" Morgan chuckled. "Say, how's everything been there?"

The grin disappeared from Becky's face. "Not as well as ye may be hopin'. The military police managed tae git lots o' juicy info from their investigatin', but they cannae change the duke's mind without special requests from the Chancellor 'imself. Privilege of bein' one of the Four Houses and all that. Manager Otto's tried tae appeal tae them higher-ups in Bareahard, but the mos' we got was a rotation in the provincial guard."

Morgan winced. "Gee, that doesn't sound good at all."

Becky tried her best to smile again. "Ah, but at least there's progress, eh? Celdic's agriculture is essential tae the empire, so I'm sure the Chancellor won't take this lyin' down. He'll set things straight soon, an' we have Class VII to thank for exposin' them frauds!" Becky then placed her hand on Morgan's shoulders. "My daddy told me tae pass along this message: 'If ye ever find yerself in Celdic again, stop by my stall an' enjoy some discounts! We're grateful for yer efforts!'"

"Ahahaha…" Morgan scratched her cheek. "That sounds nice. I'll be sure to let the others know. But before that…" She pointed to the reception desk. "I think you're friend is trying to take over your job."

Becky turned her head to find Hugo inspecting the cash register. Letting out a shout, she stormed over to the reception desk. "Darn it, Hugo! Git ye hands off the counter!"

Hugo raised his hands so she could see them. "I haven't touched a single thing. Besides, if you were so concerned about your job, you shouldn't have left the reception desk empty."

"Sh-Shut it! Don't come intae my shop and start telling me how tae dae my job!"

"And don't you think you talk just a tad too much? It decreases your selling efficiency and leads to a poor time to money ratio."

Morgan decided that now was a better time than ever to get out of the boutique before it became a verbal war zone.

* * *

The final stop on her errand run led her to Micht's Pawn Shop. Of all the shops in Trista, it was the one located furthest away from the main central hub, so it wasn't a place people would normally stumble into without good reason. Admittedly, Morgan never found a need to ever pay the place a visit, even on a whim, so she was marching into unknown territory. From what little information she did hear via word of mouth, it was a place that carried odd trinkets and wares that couldn't be found anywhere else, though occasionally there would be some high-quality items on display as well.

Indeed, when Morgan entered the pawn shop carrying the final delivery in her hands, she wasn't surprised to find that the layout reminded her of a well-kept storage room. Glass-top display cabinets such as those found in jewelry stores were lined up against the walls, but instead of gemstones and necklaces, there were antique orbments, boxes with assorted quartzes, and accessories, among other miscellaneous things. Sitting near the back behind a wooden counter was a graying man reading a book, who Morgan presumed to be the eponymous Micht. Behind the shopkeeper was a zone roped off from the public with bookshelves displaying various books and newspapers alongside some preserved foods and bottles that, judging from the labels, contained wine.

As she drew nearer, the shopkeeper looked up from his book and spoke in a gruff voice, "You got some business here, kid, or are you just window shoppin'?"

"Uh, I'm here for business," Morgan replied. "I'm here to deliver something from the Engineering Club…"

"Oh, George fixed that thing already?" He closed his book and leaned forward. "Well, aren't ya gonna do your deliverin'?"

Morgan was already starting to become annoyed with the shopkeeper's attitude, but regardless she placed an antique orbal lamp onto the wooden counter. Micht set his book down and took a moment to inspect the lamp. "The kid does nice work," he said as he flipped the lamp upside down. "But honestly, who'd have thought an item'd break right after I paid for it? I swear, why does being a pawnbroker hafta be such a pain sometimes?"

"The lamp does seem pretty old," Morgan remarked. "Though I'm guessing this means it didn't originally belong to you?"

Micht shook his head. "Nope. Really, the only things that belong to me are some of the curios I paid for in the back." He pointed his thumb to the foodstuffs and books behind him. "Everything else you see here was brought by someone looking to exchange it for something else, and that was probably brought here for the same reason."

Hearing this surprised Morgan. None of the information she heard about the shop had mentioned this part. "Really? So you barter instead of spend money?"

The shopkeeper looked at her oddly. "You seriously never been to a pawn shop before?" he asked somewhat accusingly.

"N-No." She shook her head.

Micht exuded a sigh. "Basically, you kids can think of this place as an exchange shop. Anything you don't need can be brought here to exchange for other things. The stuff you give becomes part of the collection, another random person brings whatever they have to exchange for that, rinse and repeat. Occasionally, I'll throw out some of my own curios into the market; those can be bought with money. Which ones? Whichever ones I feel like. I change them up sometimes, so if you don't see anything you like, come back later."

"So it basically is just bartering with some added extras," Morgan summarized. "Never thought shops like these were still a thing."

"Well, it is a dying trade, after all; can't say I blame you," Micht relented. "Anyway, thanks for the delivery and all that. So, if you're not gonna buy anything then...yeah. See ya." He reclined into his chair and opened his book once more.

"A-Anytime…" With no other incentive to stay, Morgan immediately turned around and started walking to the exit. Micht was certainly a departure from the other shopkeepers in Trista, but there was something else about him that made her feel uneasy besides his personality. The odd looks he shot at her, the ways in which he seemed to scrutinize her knowledge...it was almost as if he was secretly judging her.

* * *

After leaving the pawn shop, Morgan made her way back to the Engineering Building, where she filled George in on everything that had transpired. He thanked her again for a job well done and, as always, offered some recompense in the form of orbment or quartz upgrades. Today, however, she declined his offer; with how hard George seemed to be working on fine-tuning the orbal bike, she figured that he would want as much time with it as possible, so she left as quickly as she had arrived.

Morgan didn't manage to walk three steps away from the Engineering Building before her ARCUS started ringing.

"Wow, I'm really becoming popular again, aren't I?" she joked to herself as she opened her orbment. "Hello?"

" _Hey, Morgan? It's Rean,"_ her classmate responded. _"Did I catch you at a bad time?"_

"I was running some errands for George," she said. "Actually, I just finished. Did you need something?"

" _I'm calling to see if you're free right now,"_ he explained. _"I'm about to head over to the old schoolhouse soon."_

"Ah, that explains it." Morgan had almost forgotten that they were due for a follow-up investigation this month. "Did you receive another investigation request?"

" _Yeah. I plan on starting in about half an hour or so. Think you can make it?"_

"Not a problem. Have you contacted anyone else yet?"

" _The other members of Group A plus Elliot,"_ Rean said. _"That totals to six people. Everyone gave their okays, but really, it's Elliot who we're waiting on. He's still finishing up his orchestra practice."_

"Gotcha. I'll see you then." Morgan closed her ARCUS and took a deep breath. "This free day's already become more eventful than last month's, hasn't it?" she asked herself. "Well, it's not like this is any tougher than what I've been through in the past." She clapped the palms of her hands onto her cheeks. "Okay! Time to get back to work!"

* * *

 **Author's note: Hello all. First off, I'm still alive. Second, I underestimated the amount of things this years that would keep me occupied IRL, which forced me to put writing this story on the backburner for convenience's sake. But I'm back now, and I'm hoping to make up for my absence. Third, I changed the rating of the story from K+ to T to fit the actual rating of the game. I don't plan to change my writing style anytime soon, but in the chance that the game delves into more colorful language, I'll at least be prepared.  
Once again, sorry for the long wait. To those of you who are still sticking with this story, thank you.**

* * *

 ***A few minutes earlier***

As the delivery girl left his shop and disappeared from his sight, Micht put down his book and reached his hand below the counter for one of his file cabinets hidden from public view. Pulling it open contained an archive of previous issues of the Imperial Chronicle. Carefully scanning the contents, he pulled out one dating back to the February of this year and opened it to a certain page.

"So that was the so-called Vermillion Deliverer, huh?"

The Vermillion Deliverer. That was the unofficial title given to the person who appeared in Heimdallr after the Assault on the Imperial Guilds forced all the bracer guilds in the city to close down. Following the resolution of the incident in late months of S1202, the government had tried to recompense the sudden loss of extra hands in the city by inserting some government-funded volunteers into the now vacant guild buildings. Naturally, this didn't sit well with the citizens, since all they were doing was basically getting rid of the bracers and replacing them with their own agents, so those plans ended up getting scrapped. After all, pressure from the government and the provinces was part of the reason the bracer guilds shut down in the first place; what difference would a few of their stand-ins make?

It was around that time that the rumors first started to arise. On the west side of the capital in the Kunst district, there was a purple-colored mailbox with a tear-shaped insignia painted on it located behind the Vermillion Ziegel apartment complex. If you were to fill out a letter of correspondence similar to the work order forms at the bracer guild, in less than a day's time someone would contact you via orbment to either discuss details or redirect you to someone who was better suited for the task. It wasn't as efficient as it could have been, since requests had grown sparse after the bracer guild left and all the requests seemed to be done by the same person, but regardless this person managed to garner a favorable reputation for creating an interconnected network among the capital's populace through good, honest work. Eventually, the name "Vermillion Deliverer" was coined as a nickname after the location of the mailbox.

And the Deliverer was repeatedly identified as a young woman with neck-length black hair and a scar travelling diagonally up her face.

"Word in the capital played her up as some sort of all-knowing problem solver," Micht muttered to himself. "She definitely looks the part, but she's still a kid, no two ways about it." He rubbed his chin. "Though I guess this explains why all the reports said she was currently 'on leave'."

Just this past February, a notice was put on the mailbox saying that the Deliverer would be 'on leave' starting the following month and all future activities would cease until further notice. Speculation ran wild for a while to figure out why this was the case, but those who knew the Deliverer personally kept mum out of respect for her privacy. Thus, the buzz surrounding the Vermillion Deliverer receded as quietly as it appeared.

And now here she was again, doing the same old delivery jobs in a brand new environment.

"Well, credit where credit's due: she made it over a year with no signs of slowing down." Micht folded the newspaper and put it back into its file cabinet. "You can't go that far without knowing a few tricks. Makes you wonder what goes on in that head of hers…"

* * *

"Achoo!"

Morgan recoiled at the sudden sneeze. "Huh. I wonder why that happened. I hope I'm not getting allergies…"

Shrugging it off, she gathered the rest of her equipment and left the dormitory. The next destination: whatever it was the old schoolhouse had to offer next.


	15. May 23rd - Part 3

Morgan looked at the small group of students gathered in front of the old schoolhouse. "Alright! Looks like Group A is back together again!" She then glanced towards to the only person present to not have been part of said group. "Oh, and Elliot's here too, I guess," she added flatly.

Elliot, ever the amicable soul, laughed it off. "I guess I'll be in your guys' care!"

"Come on, you two." Alisa gave a lighthearted sigh. "If anything, Laura and I should be the ones saying that."

"Indeed." Laura nodded her head. "When it comes to exploring the old schoolhouse, the four of you are evidently our seniors."

"Well, the truth is, we've only been in here once last month," Rean said. "A lot could have changed since then, so really, we're basically all on the same standing here."

"Yeah, I've heard the stories about this place." Alisa crossed her arms. "But quite honestly, I'm having a tough time believing them. A building that changes its layout all on its own seems...well, kind of impossible!"

"I imagine the only way to truly believe it would be to see it with your own eyes." Gaius pointed to the entrance of the old schoolhouse. "As soon as we step through those doors, you'll be left with no option but to accept that this place is not as it seems."

Rean nodded. "Yeah, I think you're in for quite a surprise." He held up the key to the schoolhouse. "Well? Are we all ready to go?"

All the students gathered collectively nodded their heads. With that, Rean led the group to the entrance of the schoolhouse and unlocked the doors. They all cautiously went inside.

The good news was that the first floor of the old schoolhouse where Class VII had first gathered for their orienteering exercise remained relatively unchanged since the previous month. There were a few storage crates pushed to the side that hadn't been there previously, but aside from that the general layout of the room was the same. This came as no surprise to the four students who investigated the schoolhouse last time; they knew that any further surprises would lay further inside, behind the second set of doors that led further into the schoolhouse. The group approached the door and, with a collective breath, went inside the staircase room.

...Only to find that there was no longer a staircase at all.

Elliot vocalized the group's collective surprise. "Wh-What's going on?!"

The room was now a singular floor with no obvious way of reaching the lower floors. In the place of the stone staircase was now an elaborate stone structure with an octagonal platform surrounded by low guard rails and pillars. On the side of the platform furthest from the students, there was pedestal with a stone slab attached to it.

"This really is completely different from the last time we were here…" Alisa's mouth was agape. "What's that pedestal-like structure over there?"

"I-I...I mean, we…" Rean seemed to have trouble speaking out of shock. "We don't know either. That wasn't there last month. None of this was!"

Morgan thought back to an earlier conversation she had with Fie. Her words had seemed so mysterious and vague back then, but now…

* * *

" _Can you sense it?"_

 _Morgan tilted her head in confusion. "Sense what?"_

 _Fie's eyes drifted towards the old schoolhouse. "This building," she said cryptically. "It's changed again. A lot."_

* * *

'A lot is an understatement,' Morgan thought. Making a mental note to ask Fie about whatever else she knew about the old schoolhouse later, she followed the rest of the investigation group to investigate the stone structure in the middle of the room.

"It's definitely a device of some sort…" Alisa was scanning her eyes over the stone pedestal. "If I were to guess, I'd say it's something similar to an elevator you'd find in a mine shaft. That's what it looks like, anyway."

"An elevator, huh?" Rean mulled over Alisa's hypothesis. "I wonder if that means we can use this to go deeper underground…"

"Probably." Morgan looked to Alisa. "Alisa, think you can make sense of this?"

"It's worth a shot. Let's see…" The blonde spread her hands onto the pedestal. At once, the structure lit up and the slab lit up to reveal a diagram with a set of seven hexagons positioned vertically. The symbols "0", "I", and "II" then appeared in the first three hexagons at the top. As Alisa moved her hands around the glowing pedestal, a light began to hover over the symbols on the panel. "From the looks of things, we're on the floor marked '0', so we can use this to descend up to two floors. There appear to be other floors beyond that, but access to anything lower is locked out."

"So the area we explored last month would be the first floor, I presume?" Gaius asked. "I didn't realize the ruins ran farther than that."

"I'm not even sure if we're even in the same place anymore…" Morgan shook her head in disbelief.

"I know what you mean." Elliot shared the sentiment. "My head is starting to hurt…"

"If the rest of the floors are locked, that seems to suggest someone is trying to stop us - or anyone - from getting to them," Rean theorized. "But who would do that? And why?"

"I have no idea," Alisa readily admitted. "But the proof is right here. All of the other floors are off limits." To demonstrate this, she moved her hand downwards on the pedestal. The light hovering over the symbols corresponded with her hand motions, but stopped at the "II" hexagon. "There's no model number or date anywhere, either, so this elevator was probably built at the same time as the building itself, back in the Middle Ages."

The investigation team let that piece of information sink in for a moment.

"You're surprisingly well informed on technology, Alisa," Laura commented. "It's not often that girls develop such an interest in machinery."

The girl in question took her hands from the pedestal and turned to Laura, flustered. "I-I don't know that much!" she tried to defend herself. "It's all just low-level stuff. Plenty of other people could tell you the same thing, I'm sure!" She then looked to Rean. "So, what are we going to do? Do you want to try using the elevator to go down to the second floor?"

"Yeah, I think we should," he replied. "Though we have no idea what we're going to find down there, so we're going to need to be very careful."

With a nod, Alisa turned to the control panel. Once again, she moved her hand to position the light to hover above the symbol marked "II". After fumbling around the pedestal some more, the light flashed. Immediately, the platform the students were standing on began to rumble and descend to the bottom floors.

* * *

The second floor of the old schoolhouse, as expected, had a completely different layout from the first floor. The students immediately took note of a large stone wall that prevented them from moving onwards, so they wandered around to explore every other nook and cranny of the floor. Of course, a new floor also meant that there were new monsters to take down. Fortunately, having a party of six presented plenty of opportunities to experiment with a variety of team compositions. Taking their instructor's advice from their classes into consideration, the students made it a goal to form a new pair each time they entered into battle so they could all feel accustomed to each other's fighting styles and switching pairs on the fly. In time, they even came up with special names for certain team compositions that proved more effective than others.

Eventually, the investigation team found a switch that, when pulled, lowered the stone wall into a small set of stairs, revealing a path forward. The students continued into the depths of the floor and found themselves in a safe room with an inactive orb-shaped device and a conveniently placed orbment charging station.

"Hey, we're in another one of these rooms!" Morgan recognized. "Which means that beyond that door…" She pointed to a large set of doors on the north end of the room past a small set of stairs.

"Yeah, there's probably a strong monster waiting for us on the other side." Rean turned to address the other students. "Let's take a short break here. We'll go inside once we're ready."

As each of the students placed their ARCUS units into the charging station, they began to engage in some small talk about what they did for their second free day so far. Laura was given the task to help a fledgling swimmer named Monica achieve her goal of swimming 50 arge*. The swordswoman had never coached anyone before, much less in something that wasn't swordplay, so she hoped that this experience would be enlightening to her. Alisa had joined the Lacrosse Club and spent most of the day doing drills and playing a few practice matches. The other members of the club were mostly amicable, though there was one person, a girl from Class I named Ferris, who treated Alisa antagonistically for reasons she couldn't understand at the moment. Gaius and Elliot spent their mornings improving on their crafts in their respective clubs, the former with his art and the latter with his music. Rean, unsurprisingly, had the most varied set of activities for his free day. In addition to exploring the old schoolhouse, he filled in as a substitute tutor for a local family and delivered textbooks to all of the teachers. Once he returned to the bookstore from his delivery run, he bumped into Emma, who had been searching for some tutoring material of her own so she could help Fie with her classwork, and so he assisted her in finding a book.

At last, the orbment charging station gave a ringing sound, signaling that their ARCUS units were fully replenished. The students retrieved their devices and double-checked to make sure their equipment was in order before making their way to the large set of doors at the end of the room. The doors automatically opened for them once they drew near and led to a larger room that was nearly identical to the one at the end of the first floor. Once all the students were in the room, the doors closed behind them and a familiar vortex of light crackled into existence.

"Here we go again." Rean drew his sword. "Get ready, everyone!"

The other students readied their weapons. As the light dissipated, a large stone statue came into existence. It was an oddly-designed sculpture, with the body resembling a man's head and torso and a thorn-like protrusion stuck at the top. Two door-like structures adorned with brightly-colored jewels were attached to the statue's back like wings, and in the center of the statue's forehead was a green jewel. It was inactive at first, but then the green jewel started to glow, followed by the statue emitting a whirring sound as it lifted itself from the ground.

"I-It can fly?!" Elliot exclaimed.

The statue seemed to look in the direction of Elliot's voice. Moments later, a ghastly glow started to accumulate around the green jewel.

Morgan felt that imminent danger was approaching. "Spread out!" At the sound of her voice, the students hurriedly dispersed to the stone pillars in the room. A beam of light shot from the statue at the spot where the students stood.

"And it can shoot lasers," Alisa cursed under her breath. "Great. What are we going to do now?"

Currently, the students were huddled into two groups of three behind the stone pillars, with Rean, Morgan, and Alisa on the left side and Gaius, Laura, and Elliot on the right. The whirring sound from the statue was getting closer by the second.

"We have the advantage when it comes to numbers," Morgan spoke in a hushed voice. "So long as we all don't stay in one place, we should be able to avoid its attacks. Let's try surrounding it."

"Sounds like the best option," Rean quietly agreed. "What formation should we use?"

Morgan brought up the first name that came to mind. "Balanced teams, Triangle formation."

Rean nodded and relayed the information to the other classmates. "Everyone! We're going to surround it! Split into your Balanced teams and get into Triangle formation!"

With a collective yell of approval, the students dispersed from their hiding locations and started linking with each other. "Balanced" referred to each linked pair consisting of one melee weapon user as a first line of offense and one arts user to support them from afar, thus creating a "balanced" team that could alternate attacks seamlessly. In this situation, Rean linked with Morgan, Laura with Elliot, and Gaius with Alisa. "Triangle" referred to the three pairs surrounding a single enemy at three points like a triangle.

Alisa opened by firing an arrow at the creature's head, followed by Gaius spinning his spear and launching a wind projectile at its body. Both projectiles didn't faze the monster in the slightest, but it did succeed in drawing its attention, as it attempted to fire a laser where the pair stood. Both students fell behind separate pillars to avoid the attack.

The other two pairs of students, meanwhile, were able to come into close proximity of the stone creature without it noticing, surrounding it on both sides. Rean made the first move; dashing in quickly, he unsheathed his tachi and slashed at the monster. The metal of his blade clanged against the stone body of the creature, but unsurprisingly his thin sword could barely make a scratch. On the other side, Laura moved in and swung her sword horizontally. The strength of her attack was able to leave a bigger cut on the monster's stone body, but it only seemed to annoy it. The monster spun around violently, forcing both of the sword wielders to retreat.

'We're not getting anywhere with physical attacks at this rate,' Morgan observed. 'In that case, let's try magic!'

Gripping her ARCUS, she started to cast an art. "Let's try this!" Holding out her orbment, a Fire Bolt spell was released from her position and hit the statue at the torso. Unfortunately, there was no way to tell if it did any damage, as the statue simply turned around to face her and Rean. It heaved its great door-like wings backwards and then forwards, causing a gust of wind to blow in their direction. Rean was able to quickly plant his sword into the ground and withstand the winds. Morgan, meanwhile, wasn't so lucky; she could only hold her weapon in front of her for defense before the gust sent her reeling against a wall.

"Morgan!" Rean rushed over to help her back up.

The statue began to float after him, but its movements were stopped when a flaming arrow flew from across the room and struck the thorn-like protrusion on its head.

"Hey! Keep your eyes over here!" Alisa called out to the statue as she nocked another arrow.

While the enemy was distracted by the blonde archer, Morgan was back on her feet. She cast a healing art on herself to be on the safe side.

"Our attacks aren't doing anything," Rean observed. "If only there was some way we could get it to stop flying…"

Suddenly, the statue started to lean back in the air with its eyes beginning to glow. It then let out a ear-piercing cry, causing all of the students to buckle down and cover their ears. Elliot, who had been preparing an art, released his spell maturely so he could cover his ears. The unfinished Aqua Bleed flew upwards in an arc and then found its way back down to the statue, splashing against the green jewel in its forehead. This caused it stop screeching and falter a bit.

Morgan, who kept an eye open while covering both her ears, immediately took note of this. "That's our winning ticket."

"Huh?" Rean uncovered his ears. "What did you say?"

Morgan pointed to the jewel in the statue's forehead. "The jewel in the middle. When Elliot's art hit it, it stopped screaming. Maybe if we can hit it with a stronger attack…"

Rean realized what she was getting at and nodded. "It's worth a shot. We'll just need to find an opening and attack the weak spot."

Morgan felt the gears turning in her head. "I think I've got an idea. You can use offensive orbal arts, right?"

"One." Rean nodded. "Are you suggesting a coordinated attack?"

"Coordinated magic attack," she specified, "but same idea. Start a few seconds after me, then aim for the weak spot."

She activated her ARCUS and starting tapping her foot in a rhythm. As soon as her foot reached the seventh count, she gave the order to fire prematurely. "Heads up!" She lobbed a ball of fire in an arc, which hit the statue's thorn-like protrusion with a miniature explosion. Alerted, the floating statue started to turn in the pair's direction, but Morgan was already in motion. Behind her, Rean finished casting his art and unleashed a Fire Bolt spell that sailed over her head and hit the statue's jewel, causing it to falter in its flight.

"Not done yet!" Bringing her axe behind her, she leapt up into the air while performing a rising two-handed swing. "Dolphin Slash!" The blade of her axe struck against the green jewel, causing a small crack to form.

After witnessing the successful attack on the enemy, the other student pairs understood what they needed to do and immediately began preparing their own attacks. Elliot launched a completed Aqua Bleed art, which was promptly followed up by Laura leaping high into the air and performing a downwards swing. Gaius and Alisa unleashed their respective wind and fire projectiles in rapid succession. Rean and Morgan continued their coordinated assault, exchanging orbal arts and weapon strikes. The statue withstood one combination attack after another until a well-placed strike from Rean caused the jewel to shatter completely. With its power source removed, the statue fell to the ground with the rest of its jewels powering down.

Morgan wiped the sweat off her brow. "Whew! That wasn't so bad-"

Before she could finish her sentence, two more purple lights started flickering in the center of the room, signifying the appearance of two more enemies.

"Seriously?!" Alisa groaned. "We're still not done?"

The lights disappeared to reveal two more statues just like the one the students just defeated. One by one, they began to lift off the ground and whirred to life.

Elliot glanced at Morgan. "You just had to say something, didn't you?"

She snorted sarcastically in response. "Ha ha, very funny."

* * *

By some miracle, the students managed to take down both of the newly-spawned statues. The knowledge of which places to aim for made it easier for the students to conserve their attacks, but the fact that there were two enemies meant that they were forced to move around constantly and use the pillars in the room as cover from the statues' attacks. In the end, attrition proved to be a greater enemy than the enemies themselves, with the team spending a good long while after the battle trying to catch their breath. Fortunately, the inactive orb-shaped device in the adjacent break room was on and working, which saved the group the trouble of having to navigate through the labyrinth again by teleporting them straight to the floor entrance. One elevator ride up later, the tired students shuffled out of the schoolhouse and made their way to the principal's office, where they gave a detailed oral report on the various happenings in the old schoolhouse.

With their work finished for the day, the students were free to break off independently. Gaius and Elliot headed off in the direction of Trista to grab a bite to eat at Kirsche's. Rean stayed behind to talk some more with the principal about the origins of the old schoolhouse. Alisa, Laura, Morgan, meanwhile, decided to head to the gymnasium together for a quick shower.

"Haaah…" Alisa sighed from her shower stall. "I didn't realize I needed this so badly until right now."

"I know that feeling." Morgan exhaled as she felt the streams of hot water rain down on her head. "There's nothing like a hot shower after a long day at work."

"A feeling I too must concur with," Laura agreed from the adjacent stall. "The greater the toil, the greater the satisfaction in overcoming it. Naturally, our recent excursion is no exception."

"Still…" Alisa's voice trailed off. "Rean sure wasn't kidding when he said the old schoolhouse was stranger than it appeared."

"It's almost like that building was designed to make weird things happen," Morgan added. "And believe me, I've seen a lot of weird things."

"Morgan, you entered the old schoolhouse last month, correct?" Laura questioned her. "How did that excursion fare?"

"Well, aside from the fact that the elevator was still a staircase? Actually pretty similar to today's." She recalled the events of last month's investigation. "We explored the floor a bit, fought some monsters along the way, found a rest stop, fought a tougher monster at the end, and then made our way back with the warping device."

"THAT definitely threw me for a loop," Alisa said. "I can understand the logic behind automatic doors and elevators, but a device that transports you from one location to another? That's almost like magic."

"I suppose one could argue that one person's technology is another's magic," Laura pointed out, "but I tend to agree that such a feat is beyond the capabilities of today's technology."

"The principal mentioned that the schoolhouse has been around since the time of Emperor Dreichels," Alisa recalled. "Just what sorts of things did they have back then?"

"Makes you wonder how much we grew as humans and how far we regressed, doesn't it?" Morgan wondered aloud. "At any rate, it looks like the enemies get stronger the further down you go, so we'll need to keep our guards up. Other than that, I think we've got a good idea of what to expect for the lower floors."

"Right. Now the question is how do we get to them…" Alisa followed up.

The three girls hummed in thought for a few seconds.

"Well, I think I'm going to head out now." Morgan turned off the shower, grabbed her towel from its position on the shower door, and started ruffling her hair dry. She then opened the shower door while drying the rest of her body and began putting on her uniform. As Morgan was putting on her dress shirt, she heard one of the shower doors behind her open, which was then followed by a small "Huh?" She turned mid-dress to see Alisa looking at her oddly.

"What's up?" she asked the blonde.

"I thought I saw something above your…" Her face started developing a slight blush. "Well, on your lower back."

Morgan mouthed a small "Oh" and pointed to the small of her back, which was now covered by her dress shirt. "I have a hereditary brand there, if that's what your thinking about," she clarified.

"A hereditary...brand?" Alisa repeated.

"In other words, it's basically a birthmark."

"Oh, that makes sense." She nodded her head in understanding. "Pretty weird spot for a birthmark, though."

"Hey, it's not like I have any say in where it shows up," Morgan replied, "much less decide if one even shows up in the first place."

The blonde laughed. "That's true."

* * *

" _Father, can I get a tattoo?"_

 _Her father abruptly looked up with an alarmed look on his face, nearly dropping the manuscript he had been reading. "Wh-What did you just say?"_

" _A tattoo!" Morgan smiled innocently. "Where can I get one?"_

" _Um…" Her father cleared his throat. "M-May I ask what brought this up?"_

" _Owain just got the Mark of Naga tattooed on his arm, just like Uncle Chrom! He said that that means he's a Chosen One!" She struck a pose. "I want to be a Chosen One too!"_

" _Oh, you were talking about that." The older male breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. For a moment, I thought you wanted to join a band of outlaws."_

" _Huh?" The girl tilted her head in confusion. "Why would I do that?"_

" _Never mind that," her father replied. "Unfortunately, I can't get you a tattoo of the Mark of Naga."_

" _Aw, why not?" she pouted._

" _Because…" Her father put down his manuscript. "It is considered a felony to wear the Brand of the Exalt anywhere on your skin unless you're part of the royal family."_

" _But I'm part royal too!" she countered. "Mother is-"_

" _She's also of royal blood, make no mistake about that," he affirmed, "but it isn't something as simple as painting something on your skin."_

" _I don't quite understand."_

 _Her father gave himself a facepalm. "And suddenly, I regret not explaining this before." He looked to his daughter. "Have you noticed how Chrom's Brand never seems to fade away even after a very long time?"_

 _The small girl thought to herself for a moment. "Now that I think about it, it doesn't! Does that mean he has a good makeup artist?"_

 _Her father shook his head. "No, that's not the point. The reason why it's like that is because Chrom's Brand isn't a tattoo at all. The same also applies to Owain."_

" _It's not?" she gasped. "Then what is it?"_

" _It's exactly what it is," he answered vaguely. "The Brand of the Exalt. Only those with exalted blood are able to have one. No amount of water or magic can wash it away once you have it; that's why it serves as definitive proof that someone is part of the royal family. Think of it like a hereditary birthmark."_

" _But Owain didn't have his when he was born," she pointed out. "That means he must have gotten it from someplace."_

" _Honestly? I don't know the full details," her father admitted. "All I know is that it just happens. The Brand usually shows up at birth, but not always. Sometimes it shows up later in life, while in some rare occasions it may not even appear at all. There's no determining where it shows up either. To put it bluntly, it's very random and you can't get it through physical means."_

" _But if you're related to the royal family, there's always a chance you can get one."_

 _Her father nodded. "Yep. That's the basic idea."_

" _So, when do you think I'll get one?"_

" _Who knows? Maybe you'll get one, maybe you won't."_

" _That not very reassuring…"_

" _Sorry, but like I said, it's random."_

" _Does Mother have a Brand?"_

" _Oh, she has one."_

" _Really?! Where?"_

" _Do you really need to ask? You see it every day."_

" _Then how come I don't remember seeing it?"_

" _To be fair, she's REALLY good at covering it up. You need a good eye to be able to see it."_

" _Father?"_

" _What is it?"_

" _Where did you get YOUR mark?"_

 _Her father brought his right hand into the light. Branded on the back of his hand was a different symbol, this one consisting of six eyes curving inwards connected by two intertwining lines._

" _I'm...not sure," he solemnly replied. "I've had it for as long as I can remember. I guess you can call it my birthmark."_

" _Does that mean you're a Chosen One too?"_

 _The older male laughed, but his tone suggested it wasn't out of humor. "I guess you can say I am. Although, I was chosen for a different reason…"_

" _What reason?" the girl asked._

 _He looked to the right and left to make sure they were alone and motioned for her to come closer. He whispered in her ear: "The end of the world."_

* * *

 **Author's note: At long last, this free day is over! Apologies if this felt like it dragged on longer than it should have, but at least things are finally moving along as they should be. Sadly, I didn't manage to get this out in time for Morgan's birthday on 5/5, but a few days late is better than never, right?  
** **One detail I'd like to point out is one of Morgan's techniques used in the fight, which some may realize uses the same name and motion as Marth and Lucina's up special move in the _Smash_ series. To put it out there for clarification's sake: it's not a skill. It's just a fancy name for a combat technique and has no special properties attached to it. Still makes for a humorous reference, though.**

 *** "Arge" is the units of measurement used in the game. 1 arge roughly equates to 1 meter in the real world, so 50 arge equates to 50 meters, which is the length for a full lap in a standard pool. Just in case you were wondering what it meant.**


	16. May 26th - Practical Exam

It was now the last Wednesday of the month, which meant that it was time for Class VII's practical exam. The students gathered on the academy field with their weapons and orbments in tow like last time.

"I'm sure you don't need a refresher on how these things work," Instructor Sara presumed, "so let's just get started, shall we?" With a snap of her fingers, the scarecrow that the students fought the previous month appeared out of thin air.

Morgan squinted her eyes. "Is it just me, or does it look a little...different?" Indeed, the scarecrow's form had changed slightly since the previous month, with its "arms" being slightly longer and overall looking a bit bulkier.

Instructor Sara seemed impressed that she could notice the differences. "Fiddling with their settings changes their appearances too, apparently. I really don't know how they work…" She shrugged her shoulders. "But it's not like that actually matters!"

"You know, it's kind of discouraging when the instructor who's sending us into battle is so...unconcerned…" Rean commented, to which the other classmates agreed.

Sara cleared her throat to gather everyone's attention. "At any rate, let's begin! The first group is Rean, Alisa, Laura, Gaius, and Elliot!"

At the sounds of their names, the aforementioned students all took a step forward while the rest took a few steps back.

"Let's see…" Sara looked at the first group of students. "Elliot, I want you to take a step back for a sec. The rest of you, link up in these assigned pairs." She pointed two fingers to Rean and Alisa, then at Laura and Gaius. The students linked with their assigned partners while Elliot stood behind them, though they were all puzzled by the current formation.

"Now you're all probably wondering why I deliberately left Elliot out of the group here," the instructor deducted. "Well, one thing you may have noticed is that whenever there's an odd number of people in a group, the person that's not in a link is sort of left to fend for themselves. It's not so much of a problem in smaller groups, but in a larger group it gets difficult to keep track of everyone and coordinate with each other, and a lone spanner in the works can make or break a successful battle. So on that note…"

She pointed to the two pairs of students. "You two couplings? Your objective is to open with a link attack, then find some way for Elliot to follow up with his own attack." The pairs nodded in understanding, though Alisa elicited a noticeable blush.

The instructor then pointed to Elliot. "Elliot, your objective is to do the opposite: find an opening to attack, then let one of the couplings to handle the rest."

Rean raised his hand, confused. "Wait, so which one are we supposed to do?"

"Are you basically saying we have to do both?" Elliot asked.

The instructor nodded her head. "That's correct. You'll have to complete both of these objectives in order to pass this exam. An opening can come from anywhere, but in order to capitalize on it, everyone in the group needs to be involved. The better you can bounce off each other's cues, the stronger you'll be as a unit. Does that make sense?"

All the students, both the ones standing in the front and those waiting in the back, mumbled in understanding. It did make logical sense that the most well-oiled units were the ones whose members could synchronize with each other in any situation. The ARCUS units were simply a tool to help make this easier, but simply relying on them alone instead of fostering basic fundamentals like natural teamwork and awareness could prove fatal in the wrong circumstances.

As the gathered students drew their weapons, Instructor Sara raised her hand to get their attention. "Oh, and before I forget, there are two more restrictions for this exam." She held up her index finger. "First, none of you are allowed link up with Elliot; however, you're free to intermingle amongst yourselves. And second…" She held up another finger. "None of you are allowed to talk to one another. At all."

This shocked the first group. Taking away an extra member to link with was one thing, but taking away verbal communication essentially removed all the benefits of planning and giving orders mid-battle, making combat much more difficult.

"So we just have to rely on nonverbal cues instead?" Rean guessed.

"Thaaat's for you to decide," the instructor replied with a smirk. "From here on out, any violation of these restrictions will result in an automatic disqualification from the exam. Are you all ready?"

The students either nodded egregiously or gave a thumbs up. Sara looked pleased to see that they were taking the directions as seriously as possible. "Then show me how it's done!"

At her voice, the scarecrow began floating entered a battle-ready stance. The now-silenced group of students collected themselves and faced it head-on.

* * *

The scarecrow spun around violently with its new elongated arms, forcing Rean to back off. This, however, allowed Elliot a chance to sneak up behind the scarecrow and unleash a storm of bubbles from his orbal staff. As the projectiles exploded on contact, Rean took the opportunity ready his sword and deliver a two-handed strike. Immediately, he sidestepped out of the way for Alisa to follow up with a linked attack from afar. As her arrow hit the scarecrow, it slowly floated back to the ground and powered down.

"And that's it!" Instructor Sara called out. "Well done! All that hard work during last month's field study, and in the old schoolhouse before it, has clearly paid off! You all passed this exam with flying colors!" She expected the students to start celebrating as soon as she said that, but to her surprise, the only reactions that were being shown were a few smiles and nods. Realizing this, she started making a shooing motion with her hand. "Oh, you're all free to talk now, by the way."

That relieved the air of tension and allowed the students to start celebrating proper. Sara snickered to herself as she knelt by the scarecrow to see if there was any noticeable damage. Fortunately, it looked no worse for wear and she stood back up. "Okay, next team! Machias, Jusis, Morgan, Emma, and Fie! Step forward!"

The first group promptly stopped their celebration once they realized what this meant. It was to be expected, since Class VII was divided evenly into two groups of five, but even still…

"Ugh, let's just get this over with!" Machias growled through his teeth.

Jusis scoffed. "Hmph. I don't need you telling me what to do."

The noble's comment caused the class vice president to angrily turn and face him. "Wh-What was that?!"

Instructor Sara sighed loudly. "Yes, yes, you hate each other, we get it. Are you two done or do you want to keep bickering?"

Grumbling, the two male students begrudgingly stepped forward to join the other members of their group.

"I'm assuming we don't need to go over the details again, so I'll just skip to assigning your teams." Instructor Sara paired Morgan with Emma and Fie with Machias, leaving Jusis by himself. This caused the mood to lighten somewhat, since there was no longer a need to worry about the two most irritable people in the class linking with each other.

"Now that I think about it, this is the first time we've fought together, isn't it, Emma?" Morgan asked her partner.

"It certainly is." Emma nodded. "I hope we can get through this smoothly."

"We won't," Fie bluntly said. "Not when we have those two on our team."

"Oh, come on." Morgan smirked. "What's the worst that can happen?"

"Uh...we fail?" Fie raised an eyebrow. "Obviously."

To that reply, Morgan wagged her finger and made a _tsk-tsk_ sound. "That's where you're wrong, little Fie! The worst that can happen is that we get disqualified for talking! If we're bound to fail, let's at least put up a decent fight first."

The silver-haired girl gave the most deadpan of stares. "And our probabilities of that happening are…"

"Ninety-nine percent!" Morgan proudly stated. "That is, to say, the chances of us losing are almost guaranteed!"

Machias angrily glared at her. "Hey, don't count me out that easily! I'll make sure we pass, no, ACE this exam, even if I have to do all the work myself!" He loaded his shotgun.

"Please, that should be my line." Jusis drew his sword. "I'm the only one who can't use an ARCUS link, remember?"

"Okay, that's enough chit-chat!" Instructor Sara clapped her hands. "You've got your teams, you know your objectives, now let's see if you can prove Morgan wrong! Begin!"

As the instructor gave the signal to begin, the rest of the students watched on from a distance. "She's awfully chipper for someone who's literally walking into a minefield," Alisa noticed.

"You mean Morgan?" Elliot asked. "Now that you mention it, she does seem a little more upbeat than usual."

"She's always been the optimistic type," Gaius commented with a chuckle. "Not many people would be able to accept this particular position with ease."

Laura hummed to herself. "No, I don't think that's all there is to it."

"What do you mean?" Alisa wondered aloud.

"We all know that Morgan is very smart," the swordswoman explained. "She's likely already realized that the chances of succeeding are very slim, and with the added restrictions, those probabilities diminish to almost nil."

"So you're saying...this is her way of resigning herself to her fate?" Elliot said morbidly.

"I think so." The group turned to the direction of Rean's voice. To their surprise, they found that he had moved a small distance from them and was squatting by a few strange markings etched onto the field. Huddling around him, the students noticed a small diagram with an "X" in the middle and several assorted letters surrounding it. Below the diagram was a list of those same letters next to a number and a percent sign. There were a few other scribbles and unintelligent markings here and there, but there was one thing that stood out: a series of words and letters that were connected into one long, underlined equation.

"If 1 = J → -Range + -DEF + (Restrictions) = chance of success = 1%"

* * *

"All right! That's enough!" Instructor Sara yelled.

The scarecrow, which had yet to be defeated, powered down at her voice.

The teacher looked to the second group of students, who were all in various states of fatigue. "Well, I think we all knew this was going to be a struggle, but I had no idea it would be like this. Some members clearly did better than others, but as a whole your performance was...unremarkable. So, you all failed." She crossed her arms. "I expect a report from each of you by the end of today detailing all the things that went wrong. That goes double for the ones who were largely responsible for this outcome in the first place." She glared disappointingly at Machias and Jusis. "Are we clear?"

"Crystal," Fie stated bluntly.

"Y-Yes, Instructor," Emma tiredly but dutifully replied.

"Gah…" Machias gritted his teeth.

"Hmph." Jusis begrudgingly nodded his head.

"A spectacular failure," Morgan said knowingly. "Nice work, everyone!" She forcefully reverted her weapon from its bardiche form to its one-handed form and turned to rejoin the other students. To her surprise, they were standing near the patch of ground she used to draw simulations.

"What?" she asked them.

"You don't need to force yourself, you know," Rean tried to console her.

Morgan simply smiled serenely. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Well, that concludes today's practical exam," Instructor Sara finally said. "Next, I'll be announcing the details of this weekend's field study. Each of you, please come forward and take one of these." Producing a stack of papers from her jacket, she handed one to each individual student. The information on each paper read the following:

 **[Field Study: May]**

 **Group A: Rean, Morgan, Machias, Jusis, Fie  
** **(Study Location: Bareahard, the Verdant City)**

 **Group B: Alisa, Laura, Elliot, Gaius, Emma  
** **(Study Location: Saint-Arkh, the Old Capital)**

"Bareahard and Saint-Arkh…" Gaius read. "Both very well-known cities here in the Empire."

"Bareahard's the capital of the Kreuzen Province in the east, right?" Elliot recalled.

"And Saint-Arkh is the capital of Sutherland in the south," Alisa recognized.

"Two provincial capitals…" Laura mused over the cities. "They seem like fair choices."

"I...guess they are," Emma hesitantly agreed, "but…"

"That's the least of our worries," Fie said, finishing Emma's sentence.

"Is this some kind of sick joke?!" Machias fumed, flailing the paper in his hand. "Instructor, what are you trying to prove? Do you have some sort of personal vendetta against us or something?!"

Jusis reined his emotions in, but nonetheless looked very much insulted. "For a change, I agree with him. This is ludicrous." He crossed his arms defiantly. "I refuse to accepts these group allocations. Change them at once."

"I don't know…" Instructor Sara scrutinized her copy of the handout. "They seem pretty perfect from where I'm standing. Besides!" She pointed to Jusis. "You're from Bareahard, so putting you in Group A was a no-brainer!"

"Then put me in Group B!" Machias angrily pointed to Jusis. "I'm not thrilled at the thought of going to Saint-Arkh either, but it's better than gallivanting off to HIS hometown. Besides, everyone knows that Bareahard is like a breeding ground for nobles and their dusty old ideas. The place is crawling with them!"

"Which is precisely why I also put you in Group A to begin with!" the instructor fired right back. Her quick response made Machias briefly go silent.

"Look, I'm no army officer, so I'm not about to go telling you that my orders are absolute and such. That's much too military for my liking. But…" Sara cleanly folded her copy of the handout and put it into her jacket pocket. "I am your instructor, and it's my duty to look out for your best interests, which, I feel, is exactly what I'm doing here. So if you have any objections…" She presented the students with the widest, most sincere smile they had ever seen. "Then how about the two of you try to make me listen to them by force?"

The ultimatum that was presented made the entire class go silent. The thought of going toe-to-toe with their own combat instructor, as silly as she usually was, was downright terrifying. Like it or not, she was still the main combat instructor at one of the most prestigious academy in the empire; anyone in their right minds would buckle up and back out as soon as possible.

...Which made it all the more surprising when both Jusis and Machias started walking towards her with their weapons drawn.

Rean couldn't believe his eyes. "Y-You're not seriously going through with this…!"

"C-Come on, don't try it!" Elliot tried futilely to reach out to them, but his classmates refused to listen.

Instructor Sara, meanwhile, elicited a sigh. "Male pride is so predictable, you know that? I knew you couldn't possibly turn down an offer like that. But you know what? Something about this doesn't seem fair…"

"What are you implying, Instructor?" Jusis asked, furrowing his eyebrows. "You'd rather it be a one-on-one duel instead?"

Instead of answering his question, Sara snapped her fingers and pointed to Rean. "Rean! Get your butt over here and give these two a hand! I'll take on all three of you!"

The swordsman blinked. "H-Huh? Er, I mean, yes! Of course!" He hurriedly rushed to his classmates' side without giving a second thought.

"This won't end well," Fie remarked.

"How come?" Morgan asked her.

"Cause when she starts looking like that…" The silver-haired girl looked to the instructor's expression. "That's when she brings out Diablo and Pain."

"Wha…?"

As if on cue, Sara swished the flaps of her jacket and brought out her personal weapons: a deadly-looking orbal gun colored violet and a just-as-lethal broadsword, also of the same color. Everyone let out a collective gulp.

"Having second thoughts?" she asked Machias and Jusis. "If you think you can 'convince' me to change your assessments, then you'll need more than just words to get me to listen." She motioned for the rest of the class to step back, which they did without question. "Now let's get right to this extra credit session, shall we?"

Needless to say, neither of the boys were able to land a scratch on her. Thus, the decision was final: Group A and Group B would stay as they were originally assembled.

* * *

"Here you go, Instructor." Morgan handed Sara a piece of paper. "I wasn't sure how long you wanted it to be, so I filled it front and back with everything I could think of."

"Thank you very much." The violet-haired woman took it with gusto. "I'm sure you jotted down all sorts of good details. So, what'd you think?"

"Think of...what?"

"Working with our two bickering lions," Sara clarified. "Now that the decision's final, this won't be the only time you'll have those guys on your team. So, what were your initial thoughts? No need to mince words; just say what comes to mind."

"Hmm…" Morgan took a moment to gather her thoughts. "If I'm going to be honest, having one of them as the outside attacker made things more difficult than it should have."

"Oh?" Sara raised an eyebrow. "What makes you say that?"

"If they were part of the paired groups, we could have solved having the two of them working together by simply keeping them in opposite pairs," Morgan reasoned. "There'd still be a few problems, yeah, but at least they wouldn't have to focus on what the other is doing; they'd be preoccupied with helping their teammate to notice. By making one of them the independent attacker, you deliberately forced them to be aware of each other, which increased the chances of them running into each other and coming into conflict. Not making matters better were the restrictions; no linking meant we couldn't do anything about the issue, and no talking meant they couldn't let each other know if one of them was about to attack. And on top of that…" She stopped herself. "Sorry, I started rambling, didn't I?"

Instructor Sara smiled. "No need to apologize. I'm just impressed you were able to point out all the little kinks in my exam."

"So you planned for all of this to happen?" asked Morgan.

"Well, I wouldn't go that far," the instructor admitted. "I did want to drop some foreshadowing since those two were going to be in the same groups again, but assigning those roles during the exam was something I came up with on the spot. I didn't realize I ramped up the difficulty until after your group started fighting." She raised both her hands. "That one was on me."

"Well, like Instructor Beatrix said: 'If there is ever a time to fail, it is now.'" Morgan shrugged her shoulders. "Honestly, the sooner we get these problems out into the open, the more cautious we can be during the field study."

Sara looked on with approval. "I like your attitude. Keep up the good work."

With that, Morgan left the faculty lounge. As she was about to leave the building, she ran into Machias.

"Hello, Morgan," he greeted her. "Is Instructor Sara in the faculty lounge?"

"Uh-huh." She nodded. "Just turned in my report to her. You doing the same?"

"That's right." He held up a sheet of paper with his handwriting all over it. "As much as I hate to admit it, this is one mistake I have to live up to."

As he turned around to leave, an idea sparked in Morgan's mind. "Say, Machias?"

The bespectacled teen turned around. "What is it, Morgan?"

"I heard from the others that you play chess?"

"Um, yes, I do. I'm a member of the school's chess club."

"Do you have a spare chess set I can borrow?"

"A spare set?" He thought about it for a moment. "I do have one back in my dorm room. What do you need it for?"

"I want to borrow it for the night," Morgan responded. "It's for research purposes."

"What sorts of research?"

"Simulational research." She clasped both of her hands together. "I'll bring it back by tomorrow, so pretty please? With sugar on top?"

"Well, I suppose there's no harm…" Machias mumbled to himself. "All right, let me hand this in to Instructor Sara first. Then, we can walk back to the dorm and I can give you the chess set then. How does that sound?"

"Sounds good!" Morgan pumped her fist. "Thanks, Machias."

Machias adjusted his glasses. "It's the least I can do to make up, seeing as I dragged you all down with me."

After Machias left to turn in his report and came back, the two students headed back to the dormitory, chatting about various miscellaneous subjects that weren't related to that afternoon's practical exam. Once they returned and went up to the second floor, Machias told Morgan to wait outside his room while he went inside to find his chess set. Less than a minute later, he came back and handed her a folded chess board.

"All the pieces are inside," he told her. "Just don't lose any of them and bring everything back by tomorrow."

"Roger!" Morgan gave a small salute and left him to go upstairs. Once she was in her own room, she immediately went to work in setting up the board and gathering a few sheets of paper.

"Okay!" She laced her fingers together and stretched them outwards. "Time to get some work done-zo!"

* * *

After a long while, a knock came from the door.

"Yes?" Morgan called to the direction of the door. "Who is it?"

"It's me." It was Emma's voice. "Would you mind if I came in?"

"Not at all."

"Sorry to barge in." Emma opened the door and came into the room. She was still dressed in her uniform. "Fie and I were just about to go and grab dinner soon. Do you want to come with us?"

"Dinner?" Morgan looked to her clock, which read 7:57. "Whoa! Time sure flies, doesn't it?"

"You've been up here for at least four hours," the class president noted. "I heard from Machias that you asked to borrow his chess set, and after he gave it to you, you went up to your room and stayed holed up there for the remainder of the day. Did you even take one break?"

Morgan had to give that question some serious thought. "Guess it slipped my mind."

"You should learn to pace yourself," Emma said worriedly.

"S-Sorry," Morgan apologized. "Whenever I get focused, my self-care habits can become pretty atrocious."

"At least you know what your flaws are." Emma walked closer to where Morgan was seated. "Now, what was so important that you needed a chess set and a good portion of the afternoon?"

"I've just been running some simulations." Morgan showed the board to Emma. In the middle of the board was the black king, with the white pawn, knight, bishop, rook, and queen scattered around it. The rest of the chess pieces lay neglected in a pile off to the side.

"So you weren't playing chess by yourself…" Emma adjusted her glasses by the corner and took a closer at the board. "Hm? I don't know if it's just me, but this layout looks a bit familiar…"

"It's from earlier this afternoon." Morgan pointed to the black king. "The king in the middle is supposed to be the scarecrow."

"Oh! Now I see it!" Emma nodded in understanding. "So the five pieces surrounding it are…"

"Yep. They're us." Morgan waved her hand to each of the pieces. "Little Fie is the pawn, noble Jusis is the knight, stubborn Machias is the rook, smart Emma is the bishop, and…" She picked up the queen. "I'm the queen cause that's the only other piece that's distinctly female."

Emma giggled at that. "This is quite the setup," she remarked. "So? Did you find anything interesting?"

Morgan hunched over the board. "Well, it should come as no surprise, but under normal circumstances, we should've had no problem taking the thing down." She started rearranging the pieces on the board. "If we have Fie and Machias attack from this angle with their bullets and you cast arts from somewhere on this side, you could create a large-enough distraction for either Jusis or me to blindside it with a pincer movement, at which point completing the objective becomes a fifty-fifty on who attacks first. It's just that when you take the restrictions into mind…"

Emma grimaced. "Yes. Not being able to talk severely hinders our ability to coordinate effectively with one another."

"That's the big flaw," Morgan affirmed. "Unless we specifically point to who should attack first, we need to rely on our knowledge of each other's strengths and weaknesses to work together. Problem is, not all of us are at that level yet; I don't want to sound condescending, but some of us are too caught up in their own biases to try and understand each other." She put her hands over her head. "Like Instructor Sara said, a single person who's out of place can make or break a successful fight. There are ways to work around it, but they won't work towards solving the main issue. Any serious improvement to our team means Machias and Jusis have to stop getting on each other's nerves. If they don't, it could spell big trouble when we're fighting monsters on our field study."

"Are you going to be all right for the trip?" Emma asked.

"Honestly? It's hard to tell," Morgan admitted. "Jusis is from Bareahard, so we have the home field advantage, but the fact that it has lots of nobles means it's bound to set off Machias's short temper. How were you able to keep them in check last time?"

The class president pursed her lips. "We did try to guilt trip them into helping us on multiple occasions, although by 'we' I mean mostly me. Really, everything was falling apart until Instructor Sara showed up."

"If that's how it was in a town of spinners, I hate to see what would happen in a town full of nobles…" Morgan leaned back in her chair and groaned. "Guess that means it'll mostly be up to me and Rean to keep everyone in check."

"I'm sure the two of you will do fine," Emma said encouragingly. "With Rean's proactiveness and your problem-solving skills, you're probably the only ones who can get those two to make up."

Morgan felt flattered. "Well, if this is coming from the smartest first year in the academy, then surely there has to be some truth behind it."

Emma started giggling again. "Come on, Morgan. I was being serious!"

At that moment, there was a loud gurgling sound.

Morgan held her stomach. "Hey, is that offer for dinner still open?"

"It certainly is." Emma smiled. "Let's meet up with Fie downstairs, shall we?"

As Morgan stood up from her chair and stretched, she thought of something else she wanted to talk to Emma about. "Speaking of Fie, I've been meaning to ask: you got any tips for looking after her?"

"Tips?" Emma reiterated. "Why are you asking me?"

"Well, you're always looking out for her and tutoring her," Morgan reasoned. "Plus, you probably shared a room with her last month. You're practically her babysitter by this point."

Emma became flustered. "I'm just doing my job as our class's representative…" Morgan snickered a little bit at the sight of the normally-composed class president trying to recollect herself. Eventually, Emma gathered her thoughts and cleared her throat. "Well, if I had to say something, it's that Fie's actually very self-sufficient. You can't tell by looking at her normally, but she's actually very perceptive of others. She looks like she's doing her own thing, but it's all within good reason. If you give her the right amount of warmth and independence, she'll stick by you."

"So she's like a pet cat?" Morgan analogized.

Emma opened her mouth to speak, but she stopped to reconsider the statement. "You know, I haven't thought about it like that, but when you put it that way, I guess she sort of is. I'm not sure I like the analogy of her being a pet, though…"

"Cats ARE pretty smart. Like taking naps, too."

Both girls jumped in surprise to find Fie standing in the doorway. Just like how she first appeared to them in the old schoolhouse, they didn't even notice she was there until she revealed herself.

"You were taking too long, so I came to look for you," Fie explained.

"S-Sorry, Fie," Emma apologized. "We were just finishing up."

"I heard it's rude to talk about people behind their backs," the younger girl added. "Well, doesn't matter to me. I'm used to it." With a shrug of her shoulders and an apathetic expression, she headed back downstairs.

Emma had tried to reach out her hand, but she ultimately abstained. "Unfortunately, that's been the extent of most of our interactions so far."

"So I see…" Morgan commented.

"I've tried getting closer to her, but there's something that's making her keep others at an arm's length. Granted, all of us can be guilty of this when we meet new people, but it's almost as if she's guarding herself…" She then realized her statement and shook both her hands. "Uh, that isn't to say that you're like that, Morgan! You're more open than I could ever be!"

Morgan laughed. "It's fine. I get it. We've all got our fair share of skeletons in the closet."

"Well, the bottom line is: don't be too discouraged if she brushes you off," Emma summarized. "That's how she acts."

"So the only way to get through to her is by being honest, then?" Morgan mused. "This field study's going to be an interesting one…"

* * *

 **Author's note: It's finally time for Class VII's second field study to Bareahard, and I've decided to switch up the teams again. In the original game, Emma was part of the group that went to Bareahard; here, I've replaced her with Morgan while keeping everyone else the same.  
From this point forward, I'm going to do my best to take some advice to heart and start mixing in some original content while still remaining true to the nature of the game. To that end, I should ask: how long should each day of the field study be? Do you think I should keep it like the first chapter as two long parts or divide it up into three smaller parts like with the free day? I would very much like viewer input on this so I know how much to condense into a single part for future reference.  
At any rate, that's it so far. Thanks again for reading this part through to the end. If you enjoyed it, great! If you didn't...well, I tried. Until next time! ****(*^^)v**


	17. May 29th - Field Study Day 1, Pt 1

Morgan wasn't sure whether to feel excited or panicked. On the one hand, she was going to explore another area in Erebonia she hadn't visited before; but on the other, she was going there with one of the most explosive duos in Class VII. She had tried to abstain herself from thinking about them, but her mind would always find its way back to the problem eventually, and whenever Morgan was faced with a problem, it was almost second nature for her to attempt to find a solution.

"Crap," she mildly cursed. Already, her day wasn't starting off well. "What would Father do?"

Robin. The High Deliverer. The Grandmaster of Ylisse. A masterful tactician known throughout the lands who could devise plans that could manipulate the tides of battle into his favor in an instant.

Then, there was his daughter, Morgan. The Vermillion Deliverer that was currently on leave. An Ylissean stranded far, far away from home. An admittedly fledgling tactician known only by a select few who couldn't even devise a plan to get two people to see eye to eye for a moment.

Morgan usually wasn't one to look at her father with envy. In contrast to some of her old friends, she looked up to her father as a role model, someone she greatly aspired to be like someday. But occasionally, she would find herself in situations where even she couldn't help but yearn for a little bit of his wisdom. She remembered him saying that human relations were like another realm of war; there were alliances between those who shared similar ideals and conflicts between those who didn't. Though the stakes were lower, even the smallest of disputes could result in an accident on the battlefield; thus, resolving these smaller conflicts as early as possible was just as much of a priority as resolving the bigger ones. Improving interpersonal relations also naturally lead to easier and more efficient teamwork, opening the way for a number of different possibilities for team compositions. It could be said that any victory in the realm of human relations was a victory for the army as a whole.

Of course, some things were easier said than done.

Disgruntled, Morgan started packing her things. It was clear that she wasn't going to get anywhere with her upset mindset, and with a little over half an hour left before she was due to meet up with the rest of Group A, she figured she should spend those last minutes mentally preparing herself, which, of course, meant going to Kirsche's for something to drink.

As she walked down the stairs, she stopped momentarily at the second floor to take a look at the boys' dorms on the far side of the hallway. Sighing, she continued her way down and left the building.

* * *

Fortunately for Morgan, as soon as she walked through the entrance of Kirsche's Cafe, she already started to feel her mood improving by the second. Sitting by the counter next to her usual seat was a familiar middle-aged woman wearing a white cap and red glasses.

"Misty!"

The hostess of Abend Time looked over at the sound of her name. "Well, if it isn't Morgan! Long time no see!"

The two acquaintances enthusiastically shook hands. "It's really been a while. I almost never see you around here anymore!"

"Well, that's the trade for you." Misty tiredly exhaled a sigh. "My schedule gets packed at the beginning of every month, and they're mostly afternoon to evening gigs. Most of the time, I don't even have the energy to get up for a cup of joe unless it's delivered to me!"

"Ouch." Morgan empathized with the reporter; pulling an all-nighter is an unpleasant experience that no one should ever have to endure. "Sounds rather painful."

"Oh, you don't know the half of it." Misty waved her hand. "Fortunately, I still have enough leftover juice to do Abend Time every Sunday, but once that's done?" She gave an unenthusiastic thumbs down and blew a small raspberry.

"Pooped?"

"Yup. Pooped." She emphasized the consonants in each word for added effect. "But that's enough about boring ol' me! How was that trip to Celdic? That's where you said you went, right?"

Morgan ordered a single cup of coffee. "I'm surprised you remembered about that. Wait, you aren't planning on turning this into a story, are you?"

"Why, I would never!" Misty refuted. "Besides, reporters have to follow a protocol when it comes to interviewing minors, so most of us don't even bother unless we absolutely have to. Informed consent can be such a hassle sometimes…"

Morgan didn't know what "informed consent" meant, but since Misty didn't seem to have any ulterior motives, she decided there wasn't any harm in sharing a few stories. "Basically, it went like this…"

And so, Morgan began to recount the tale of her field study to Celdic, glossing over some of the less important field tasks in favor of talking about the issues in the Grand Market in great detail, from the heist on the merchants' goods to investigating the nature park to nearly getting arrested by the provincial army to the timely arrival of the Railway Military Police.

"...So that's what happened," said Misty once Morgan was finished. "One of our journalists DID write an article about the RMP showing up in Celdic, but I didn't think that you were in the middle of all that."

"They deliberately kept us out of it for legal reasons," Morgan explained as she received her morning drink. "Besides, I doubt anyone would believe that a group of military students caught a bunch of bandits red-handed."

"I dunno…" Misty smirked and put a finger to her chin. "I can think a few people who'd kill to get a chance to meet students like you."

A bead of sweat dropped from Morgan's forehead. "I sure hope you didn't mean that literally…"

The bespectacled reporter snickered into her tea for her response. "So, where you heading off to this month? I'm guessing why you have your luggage again."

"Sharp as ever, I see," Morgan commended her. "My group's going to Bareahard."

"Ooh, Bareahard!" Misty grinned with recognition. "I've been there a few times myself! Most of the emphasis is placed on the furs and gemstones, but the scenery isn't something to sneeze at, either. Well, unless you're allergic to pollen, of course. The different sorts of plantlife dotted all around the highways are great to look at while the jade-colored bricks for the buildings gives the city a sort of...homely feel despite it being mostly fancy otherwise. There's a reason why it's called 'the Verdant City'." Misty then stopped herself. "Whoops, didn't mean to go off on a tangent there."

"It's fine." Morgan smiled into her coffee. "I'm getting more excited just thinking about it. It feels like I'm in a private session for a radio show."

Misty grinned and cleared her throat. "Thank you, kind and loyal viewers, for tuning in to this impromptu session of Abend Time!" she said in her best anchorwoman voice. "I hope you all have a wonderful time at Bareahard!" The two of them laughed at that.

"You've been to a lot of places, haven't you?" Morgan remarked, still giggling.

"Well, like I said, that's the trade for you." Misty pushed her glasses by the corner in an *ahem!* manner. "By the way, if you have the time, I'd recommend stopping by this restaurant called Sorciere. It's located in the city's central plaza, right next to the cathedral. Their deluxe herb chowder is amazing."

"Deluxe herb chowder?" That piqued Morgan's interest. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind."

"Well, that's assuming you can pay a pretty penny," the reporter readily admitted. "Unfortunately, the downside is that everything in Bareahard is so expensive, especially with the recent hike in taxes. Don't mean to talk down on any of my upper-class listeners, but the rumors aren't kidding when they say that Bareahard is a city for nobles, and by that, I mean nobles are the only ones who can afford anything there on a regular basis."

Morgan hummed. "I'm guessing that tax hike you mentioned is thanks to the duke?"

Misty's expression softened as she calmly sipped her tea, a far cry to how she was acting when she was describing Bareahard's splendors. "Honestly, I wouldn't call myself an expert in what goes on in the Kreuzen province, but Duke Albarea's been acting pretty in over his head lately. I'm guessing the incident in Celdic was probably the tipping point." She set her teacup down. "Do you know about Aurochs Fort? That's the provincial army base near the city. Apparently, there was some pretty sizeable construction over there a little while back. The place is heavily fortified now, and from the sounds of things, most of the revenue from the taxes were used to pay for that." Misty then leaned in closer. "I even heard one rumor that the duke started acquiring state-of-the-art tanks for the provincial army," she whispered.

"Seriously?!" Morgan tried to contain her exclamation. "What's gotten him so scared that he needs all that firepower?"

Misty could only shake her head in response. "No one knows for sure, not even some of my clients. My personal hunch? He wants to protect as much of his plans as possible, seeing as, you know, the guys that exposed him in Celdic were part of the Reformist Faction." She straightened herself with a dour expression on her face. "And everyone in Erebonia knows that the Noble and Reformist Factions get along as well as oil and water."

As Morgan let that information sink in, her mind wandered to a question that had just formed in her mind: 'Does Jusis know anything about this?' The young Albarea talked so much about "upholding noble pride" and "bringing honor to his family's name" that it never crossed Morgan's mind to consider where he stood regarding his father's shady practices. Was he for or against the duke's actions? Did he even have a say in them? It was difficult to tell given Jusis's stoic nature and tendency to keep others at arm's length.

'No, this looks more like a family matter,' she decided, shaking her head. 'I probably shouldn't press into it.'

She sipped the rest of her coffee and checked the time. "Well, it's been nice talking, Misty, but I think it's time for me to head out now. Wouldn't want to barely miss the train like last time."

The bespectacled reporter snickered to herself, as if she too remembered the abrupt end to last month's conversation. "Of course. It's been a pleasure talking to you, as always."

Morgan left the amount for the coffee along with a small tip on the counter. "Hope to see you around more often."

"Hehe. No guarantees." Misty gave a smile that was equal parts charming, playful, and mysterious.

* * *

Morgan ran into the rest of her group as she was walking to the train station. From the looks of things, Jusis and Machias were acting no less hostile to each other than they were at the end of Wednesday's action-packed practical exam. Meanwhile, an exasperated Rean stood in between them, heavily caught in the crossfire. Fie, looking as unenthused as ever, walked up to Morgan and stood behind her, almost as if she wanted to cling to the only other female in the group for protection. As adorable as that sounded, Morgan could only be unsettled at the conflict that was unfolding in front of her.

With that awkward greeting out of the way, the students entered the train station. They were greeted by the rest of Class VII, who had already purchased their tickets and were waiting for their train to arrive. At the sight of Machias and Jusis continuing to avoid each other, the groups exchanged brief words of encouragement among each other until it was time for Group B to board their train. After their classmates departed, Group A purchased their tickets and waited until their train arrived.

And so, that was what lead to Group A's current situation: inside a train en route to Bareahard with Machias and Jusis sitting across from each other in the booth as Rean and Morgan looked on worriedly.

Fie, meanwhile, looked about ready to take a nap for the rest of the train ride. Typical Fie things, as it were.

"Right…" Morgan tried her best to dispel the uneasy silence. "Anyone want to talk about Bareahard? I heard it's a nice place."

"If your idea of 'nice' is 'outlandish' and 'oozing nobility', then I suppose you're correct," Machias said bluntly.

"Bold words from someone who has likely never set so much as a foot inside it," Jusis fired back.

"Well, thanks to advancements in photography, I don't need to!" Machias countered. "I'll stay within the comforts of my lowly commoner home, thank you very much! Besides, most of the facts about Bareahard are common knowledge already! You don't need photographs to get a feel for what that place's deal is."

Jusis scoffed. "Hmph. Common knowledge developed from your anti-noble beliefs, I presume?"

"Are you suggesting that I allow my views to cloud my ability to see things objectively?!" accused Machias.

"Oh, not at all." Jusis's tone sounded sarcastic. "You were intelligent enough to score second on the entrance exam, after all. Since then, you've also spent your every waking moment with your nose glued to a textbook, studying as if your life depended on it."

"Got a problem with that?"

"Simply the fact that despite your efforts, you have yet to outplace Millstein in every academic way." Jusis then leaned forward with a bitter expression on his face. "No matter how hard you try, you're always treated as second best, lacking in virtually every other regard…"

"Why, you…!" Machias couldn't take it any longer and began standing up.

"You know…" Everyone immediately looked to Rean. "Seeing you two like this, it's easy to see why you scored so miserably in last month's field study."

"Wh-What was that?" Machias fumed.

"Last month, Group B got an 'E' on their field study," the swordsman began. "If that had been a paper exam, it would've been a fail, and a low one at that. Do you two really want that to happen again?"

Jusis furrowed his eyebrows and squinted his eyes. "I hope you're not naively suggesting we just put all our differences aside and become best friends."

"Actually, the whole point of Class VII was to gather a bunch of people BECAUSE they were different," Morgan pointed out. "No offense, but having different opinions sort of has to come with the territory."

"And no doubt with different opinions come different beliefs that some of us aren't willing to compromise on," Rean added. "But regardless, that doesn't change the fact that for the next few days, we're all part of the same group. We're all...partners, so to speak."

"Partners?" Jusis grunted. "Hmph. I was wondering what you were getting at."

"You have to be joking!" Machias predictably exclaimed. "I refuse to accept the idea that-"

"Look, I'm not saying we have to be friends!" Rean interrupted. "But since we're in the same group and we're working towards the same objective, we may as well cooperate. Let me put it this way…"

Rean held up both his hands. "This here is Group A." He raised his right hand. "And this is Group B." He raised his left hand. "Now, both of our groups have one main objective, and that's to pass this field study, or in other words, to not get a failing grade. Now, in Group B, we have Laura, Gaius, Alisa, Elliot, and Emma." For each member he listed, he put a finger down until his left hand was balled into a fist. "The first three are in the same group as last time, and Elliot has lots of experience working with them in the old schoolhouse. I don't have too much experience with Emma, but she's responsible, so she'll have no trouble fitting in with them. In other words, they're a strong team.

"On the other side…" He looked to his right hand. "We have Morgan, Fie, Machias, Jusis, and me." Just like with his left hand, he lowered all his fingers until his right hand became a fist. "However, unlike with Group B, we're not all that coordinated because we have two people who refuse to see eye-to-eye." Paying no attention to the angry glares that Jusis and Machias were giving him, he raised his index and middle fingers.

"So, say we're stuck like this. Now it's the end of the weekend, and Instructor Sara is going to grade us on our field studies. Now tell me: of the two groups that you see here…" He held both his hands, one balled into a rock and the other with two fingers sticking out like scissors. "Which do you think is going to get the better grade, thereby 'beating' the other team?"

One didn't need an ARCUS link to understand where Rean was going with this. A unit where a few people refused to coordinate with each other wouldn't stand a chance against a unit whose members were all able to work together.

In other words, rock beats scissors in this situation.

"I wouldn't have taken you to be the competitive type," remarked Jusis.

"Well, of course I am!" Rean unclenched his hands. "I care about winning and losing just as much as the next guy, and get just as frustrated when other people hold me back! Believe me, it was beyond frustrating when we lost against the instructor the other day."

The reminder of the curb-stomp battle that was handed to them by their homeroom teacher soured Machias and Jusis's expressions.

"There's no denying that she's strong," Rean continued. "I don't know what kind of experience or training she's been through to become that way, but it's simply a fact. If we'd been able to work together a little better and form proper combat links with one another…" He leaned back into his seat. "We may have at least evened the odds a little."

His comments hung in the air for a few moments.

"You would've."

Everyone turned in surprise to the one person they believed had tuned out of the conversation entirely.

"Sara's only strong because she knows how to fight," said Fie. "If you'd been able to work together, you could've withstood her onslaught a little longer. You might not have won, but…" She opened her yellow-colored eyes. "You wouldn't really have lost, either."

"Exactly." Rean nodded his head. "We may not be able to put aside our differences yet, but if we're at least willing to work together…"

He raised his right hand and held up two fingers like before. Eventually, he lowered both fingers to create a fist and, while raising his left fist, collided both his hands. "We'll at least be able to stand a chance against Group B. And maybe, just maybe, if we were trust each other and work together completely…" Slowly, his right hand opened up to cover his left fist. "We'll be able to surpass them."

* * *

"I gotta say, that was some nice going, Rean," Morgan whispered to the swordsman.

Rean looked slightly confused. "Were you talking about my last move, or…?"

After Rean's little pep talk, Jusis and Machias formally agreed to a truce in their ongoing feud so they could both concentrate on doing well on this field study. Following some further discussion on the various highlights Bareahard had to offer, the members of Group A started playing Blade to pass the time. Morgan was currently playing with Rean while Fie was playing with Machias as Jusis looked on.

"Your pep talk to them earlier." Morgan put down a 4. Since both her and Rean's collection of face-up cards had reached the same value, they each had to discard their piles and pick a new card from the deck. "It already feels like we're making substantial improvements here. The competition thing was a nice idea."

Rean smiled. He drew a 2 from the deck whereas Morgan drew a 3, meaning he had to put a card down. "I got that idea from you."

Now it was Morgan's turn to act confused. "Huh?"

"It was during the practical exam," Rean explained as he put down a 4 of his own. "Right before your group's turn, you tried to goad them into cooperating by pointing out their slim chances of winning. It was only for a brief moment, and it didn't go anywhere due time constraints, but both of them were united in their desires to not fail the exam. I'm betting that was your '1% chance of success', wasn't it?"

"So you DID see my simulations," Morgan figured. "I was wondering why you were all standing conspicuously over there." She put down a 6.

"To tell the truth, I couldn't make sense of everything," Rean admitted, "but one look was enough to tell me that you knew what you were doing." He put down a 5. "Your grades in military science are consistently the highest in the class, too. Have you ever had military training?"

"Well, I wouldn't say that," said Morgan, putting down another 6. "I've got some basic combat experience under my belt, but at the end of the day, it's mostly just numbers and common sense. I'm still behind you and Laura when it comes to brute force."

Rean put down his own 6. "If you think Instructor Neithardt's lectures are common sense, then that's still pretty incredible."

"I get that mostly from my father's side." Morgan took a moment to look at the remaining cards in her hand. "He used be an army tactician, so I started learning about military science ever since I was a kid. Course, times have changed and technology has advanced, but the fundamentals are still the same."

"Your father was a tactician?" asked Rean. "Actually, now that I think about it, I've never heard you mention anything about your family. I mean, your business is ultimately your own, but…"

"It's fine." Morgan shook her head. "You didn't ask, so I didn't say. My father was the kind of person who believed that there's almost never a 0% or 100% chance of doing something right; there's always going to be some complications here and there. Sure, it sounds a bit cynical, but on the flip side…" She threw down a 7, one of her last numbered cards. "It means that even if the odds aren't in your favor, there's always a chance, no matter how small, to tip the scales."

Rean handed down a 7.

A glint flashed in Morgan's eyes. "Like...here!" She threw down a Bolt card. "I summon my handy-dandy Levin Sword!"

"Oh, we're doing this again?" Rean rose to the challenge by throwing down his own Bolt card, rendering Morgan's own 7 useless.

In response, Morgan put down a Mirror. "I'll be taking your cards now."

"You can keep them." Rean put down his last card: a 1. This card had the special effect of bringing back the last Bolt-ed card on the user's side of the field; thus, a 7 was brought back to the field. "Down to your cast card, Morgan. What'll it be?"

Morgan couldn't believe her eyes. She alternated glances between her last card and the card Rean played and started laughing.

"What's so funny?" Rean asked.

"Oh, well, you know what they say: great minds think alike!" Grinning, she threw down her last card, which was also a 1. The 7 that had first been struck by a Bolt card returned to the field, and since the pile was now in Morgan's possession, it meant that she had emerged victorious. "That's checkmate!"

Rean could only look at the results in shock as his mouth hung open.

Morgan breathed a sigh of relief. "Whoo! Down to the wire! It feels good to win at this game again!"

"What are you talking about?" Rean's mouth was still agape. "Between us, you have the 6-2 winning streak!"

"You kept count?" Morgan raised an eyebrow as she packed up the cards. "You really are as competitive as you said you were, huh?"

"I wasn't lying when I said I could be competitive, but I also know that I can't let it get the best of me." Rean started cleaning up his side of the playing field. "By the way, what's a Levin Sword?"

"It's a name for a sword that shoots out lightning," Morgan responded. "'Lightning Sword' doesn't have quite the same ring to it, so we used a more archaic word instead."

"'We'?" Rean perked up at that.

"Never you mind that. Just some old habits from where I come from."

"But didn't you say you were from Heimdallr?"

"I did," Morgan affirmed. "And my vocabulary became a lot more colorful because of it."

Rean shook his head like he didn't understand, or at least looked like he wanted to know more but chose not to. "Hey, Morgan? Would you mind if I asked you a personal question?"

"That would depend on the question," she replied.

"I noticed that when you talked about your father, you kept using past tense," Rean pointed out. "Did something happen to him?"

Morgan stopped. "...I don't know."

"What?"

"That's the thing, really…" She shook her head. "I wish I could give you a better answer, but I really don't know. I haven't seen him in three years, and the last time I did…" She handed Rean his cards while wearing a solemn expression on her face. "He was fighting a battle even he had no chance of winning."

Rean made a small "oh" shape with his mouth. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stir up any bad memories."

"I'm sure you weren't," she said curtly. "That's all I'm able to say on the matter for now. But who knows? Maybe once we get to know each other better, I can tell you the full story."

As Morgan forced a smile, she found that the chugging of the train started to sound very similar to the roar of flames.

* * *

After another hour or so, Group A's train finally pulled into the Bareahard station. Gathering all their belongings, the students exited the train and walked onto the platform, where they were immediately greeted by a group of four station employees.

"Lord Jusis!" one of the employees addressed with a bow. "Welcome back to Bareahard! It's a pleasure to see you again!"

"He's a real VIP," Fie commented.

"Of course all the station employees would abandon their duties to come and welcome him…" Machias grumbled to himself.

"I've returned here as a student of Thors Military Academy to conduct a field study." Strangely, Jusis's tone suggested that he didn't seem all too happy with being personally welcomed himself. "I believe you were informed that this manner of excessive welcome is neither necessary nor desired, were you not?"

The employee who greeted him before started stammering. "W-Well, yes, but…"

"You're a child of the Albarea household!" the employee next to him finished. "If anything, we should be apologizing for not giving you an even greater welcome!"

"Allow us the honor of carrying your luggage, along with those of your classmates!" another employee insisted.

Jusis looked ready to give up when a deep male voice behind the employees said, "That won't be necessary."

Walking down the stairs from the second floor were two adult males, the first a well-dressed butler and the second a blonde male wearing jade-colored clothes with an adorned cape swishing behind him. More importantly, with the exception of his hair being longer and tied into a ponytail over his left shoulder, the latter male's face looked exactly like that of an older Jusis. The station employees respectfully bowed to the older male and moved out of the way at once.

Jusis couldn't believe his eyes. "R-Rufus?!"

The male named Rufus outstretched his arms in a welcoming fashion. "My beloved brother, it's a pleasure to see you again. To think, it's been three months! Where did the time go? I wasn't expecting to reunite with you so soon, but I'm delighted to have the opportunity."

"...As am I. You seem well." Jusis stretched out his hand, to which Rufus shook it firmly.

"I take it these are your fellow members of Class VII?" Rufus directed his attention towards the students standing behind Jusis.

"Yes, that's correct," Morgan confirmed. "I take it you already know about us?"

"Of course!" Rufus smiled earnestly. "I've read all about you in my brother's letters. Although, from the looks of it, it appears my brother has never once mentioned me. That's perfectly understandable, though; he is, after all, quite easily embarrassed." Rufus added that last part with a teasing grin.

Jusis, in a rare moment of nervousness, began stammering. "Th-That's not…!"

Fie looked amused for once. "He's being toyed with."

"I didn't even think he could make that face," Morgan smirked.

Machias could hardly believe his own eyes. "What happened to the arrogant young upstart we've come to know and...mostly tolerate?"

Rean could only chuckle at his classmates' reactions.

"I do suppose now is a better time than any to properly introduce myself." With that, Rufus bowed respectfully to Group A. "As you now already know, my name is Rufus Albarea. Jusis is my younger brother. As much as I would like to savor this long-awaited reunion, however, this is no longer the time for idle chatter. I came to escort you to your lodgings for the weekend, so if you'll be kind enough to gather your belongings, please follow me." He outstretched his arms again. "It is my pleasure to welcome you to the Verdant City of Bareahard. I hope you enjoy your stay, ladies and gentlemen of Class VII."

* * *

As if meeting the eldest son of the Albarea household wasn't enough, Group A was escorted to their lodgings by riding in the Albarea family car. This wasn't your typical model that could be found roaming the streets of Heimdallr, though; the space inside was large enough for all of the individuals present to fit, the seats were covered in fine black leather, and there was even a carpet covering the floor and a small circular table. According to Rufus, the model of the luxury car was called a "limousine"; due to its expensive price, having just one in your possession was a symbol of how wealthy you were.

"Now, to get business underway…" Rufus began as the car started. "I have something I would like to give to you."

He reached for a brown envelope that was resting on the circular table and presented it to his brother. Imprinted on it was the familiar Thors Military Academy logo. "I selected your field study tasks on behalf of Father. I trust you know what to do with them."

"We do." Jusis nodded his head. "Thank you."

"I must say, it really is a fascinating coincidence." The older Albarea looked to Rean, who seated himself next to Jusis. "I never imagined my younger brother would become classmates with the son of Lord Schwarzer."

That piqued Rean's attention. "You know my father?"

Rufus nodded. "Certainly. Baron Teo Schwarzer is an old acquaintance of mine." He looked up and smiled nostalgically. "Many years ago, I accompanied him to a falconry competition held in the suburbs of Heimdallr. He taught me much about the practice and its etiquette." He looked back to Rean. "Is he doing well these days?"

Rean chuckled. "Yes, he's quite well. And still just as fond of hunting as ever."

"Splendid, splendid!" Rufus gave his own laugh before turning to the student sitting at the far end of the car seats. "And you must be the son of Governor Regnitz, no? The resemblance is quite striking."

Machias stiffened up at the mention of his father, but nevertheless he nodded his head. "That's correct. I'm surprised you knew."

"I encounter him quite often when taking care of official matters in the capital," Rufus explained. "Though our positions may be different, he has given me excellent advice in the past. I feel it must be fate that you, too, would end up in my younger brother's class, so please, do try and get along with him."

Rufus gave a slight bow to accompany his last statement. From the looks of it, he was not all aware of the tension that was currently brewing between his brother and the governor's son. Thus, he was a bit confused to see that all of the students had uneasy expressions on their faces.

"I will...consider the possibility with an open mind," Machias finally said after a long pause.

"Wonderful." Finally, Rufus turned to Morgan and Fie, who immediately composed themselves when they felt his gaze wander onto them. "And I would be remiss if I were not to acknowledge our two beautiful young ladies. No doubt your presence brings a touch of elegance to my younger brother's academic life."

"Elegance, you say?" Morgan briefly mulled over the statement. "I'm honored that you would say so."

"It's nothing like that, though," Fie refuted.

"Can we PLEASE stop discussing me?" Jusis interrupted, sounding exasperated. "And when you say lodgings, you can't possibly be referring to…"

"Haha. Need you even ask?" Rufus smiled knowingly. "Naturally, you'll all be staying at the Albarea family mansion...is what I would say. Father's instructions were that I should do with you as I wish; so, considering the circumstances of your visit, I've had a hotel room prepared. You will be able to concentrate more easily on your field study that way, no?"

Jusis looked like a huge load was just taken off his shoulders. "Thank you. I truly appreciate it."

Once again, Jusis's behavior confused the other members of Group A. From the way he dismissed the greeting by the station employees to the relief he showed at their living arrangements, it almost seemed like he was ashamed of all of the attention he was getting. Perhaps being a bit uncomfortable was understandable, but this was certainly a departure from the Jusis they interacted with at school, who wore his noble lineage on his sleeve like a symbol of pride.

Eventually, their conversation came to an end as the car pulled over to the hotel Group A would be staying at. With the exception of Jusis, the size and class of the hotel was far beyond the scale of what the students were normally used to.

Rufus stepped out of the car with Group A to say his goodbyes. "Under normal circumstances, I would have invited you to a banquet this evening," he said, "but unfortunately, I have business I must attend to in Heimdallr after we've finished here. I did place a paid reservation at Sorciere right across from your hotel, so do look forward to that."

Morgan grinned with recognition at the restaurant's name. Looks like she wouldn't have to worry about paying a pretty penny after all.

"Will you be going to the capital by airship?" Jusis asked his brother.

"Indeed," Rufus answered. "I'm representing our father. Currently, he is attending to other affairs, but he did say that the earliest he'd be back by is this evening."

Jusis visibly grimaced at that. Again, such behavior appeared uncharacteristic of him from the perspective of his classmates.

"By the way, there's one last detail I'd like to talk about regarding your hotel room," the older Albarea added. "I was made aware of the number of students arriving in Bareahard, but I wasn't told of the gender ratio. So, to make things safe, I reserved a conjoined suite with five individual rooms."

Jusis opened his mouth to speak, but his brother raised his hand. "But incidentally, the hotel recently notified me that several cheaper rooms became open for the weekend due to a cancelled business meeting. So, if you feel that the arrangements are a bit too fancy for your tastes, you are free to change things as you wish. And you needn't worry about any cancellation fees; such things are trivial if it means my younger brother's happiness."

"You don't need to treat everything like it's a big deal," Jusis dismissed him, but it was clear from his tone that he was thankful for his brother's efforts.

With that, Rufus bade the group farewell and went back into the car.

"So that was Rufus Albarea," Morgan remarked as the automobile drove out of their sight. "You know, I think I've seen him a few times in the capital."

"They say he's the ace of the Noble Faction," Machias noted. "Meeting him in person, it's easy to see where that reputation originated."

"Yeah," Rean agreed. "He made a point of showing consideration for my dad, too, even though he's a low-ranking noble."

"And he effortlessly thrust Jusis into the role of cute little brother," Fie unceremoniously added.

"I would've preferred you NOT to have seen that," the younger Albarea grumbled. "Though I must admit, I wasn't expecting him to leave Bareahard just as we arrived." He glanced morosely to the side. "How unfortunate…"

All of his classmates looked at him oddly. "You know, you've been acting kinda funny ever since we got to Bareahard," Morgan pointed out. "Is something wrong? Aren't you glad to be back home?"

"...Nothing that concerns you," Jusis curtly replied. "We should check in at the hotel to make our living arrangements final and begin our work shortly. I assume we have no qualms about staying in the cheaper rooms?"

"Y-Yeah, that works for me." "Same." "It's fine." "We're students. We should be treated as such."

"Perfect. Then I'll go in first." He turned to enter the hotel on a dime.

"Aaand, there's the Jusis we've all come to know," Morgan remarked. She silently made a mental note to not ask Jusis any further questions regarding his family for the time being.

* * *

At Jusis's behest, the students were shown to their new rooms, one room for the boys and another for the girls. After they got themselves situated, the students started to look over this weekend's field study tasks.

"So we've got a monster extermination request, a retrieval for a gemstone, and an optional quest about bath salts," Morgan recited.

"Requests from the provincial army, an artisan, and a noble," Rean noticed. "They seem to have struck a balance here."

"The monster one sounds irritating," Fie voiced her opinion.

"What do they mean by 'report to Aurochs Fort' on this one?" Machias asked, holding up the monster request.

That was yet another name Morgan recognized. "That's the provincial army base near the city, right?"

"Correct." Jusis nodded his head, looking impressed by her knowledge. "Aurochs Fort sits on the opposite side of Aurochs Canyon. The path through the canyon is long and treacherous, however, so I'd advise we save this request for last."

Everyone else unanimously agreed with the proposal. Eventually, the group decided a set course of action for their tasks. First, they would go find the noble who issued the request for the bath salts for more information on where to find them. Next, they would head to an area in Bareahard called Artisans' Street where they would meet the artisan looking for a specific jewel. Finally, the group would head down Aurochs Canyon to find the monster, slay it, and report it to Aurochs Fort.

"Right, I'm sure Group B is working hard on their own tasks as we speak, and we can't let them beat us," Rean said, reminding everyone of their conversation on the train. "Let's give this our all!"

With that, the students broke off and left to complete their tasks.

* * *

 **Author's note: Hello, hello! Congrats on making it through that doozy of a chapter. The second field study is officially underway, and Machias and Jusis have agreed to a truce for now. Let's see how long that lasts. If you enjoyed this chapter, great! If you didn't...eh, I tried. The good news, however, is that I'm beginning to experiment with adding new dialogue to the preexisting game, and I must say I'm starting to garner some enjoyment from that. Of course, the changes will only stand out if you played the original game yourself, which doesn't appear to be the majority of the viewerbase. But hey, all's well that ends well, right?  
** **Not much else to say here, so...peace out until next time!** **ｖ(⌒ｏ⌒)ｖ** **  
**


	18. May 29th - Field Study Day 1, Pt 2

At first, the students were ready to trek all over the city to locate the noble who issued the bath salt request, but once Jusis took a closer look at the request form, he recognized the name of the requester and immediately knew where to find him at this time of day. He led the students towards the small terrace outside of Sorciere, where they found a pair of individuals chatting over some coffee with a gray-white dog curled up next to one of them. As the students approached the pair, the dog perked its ears up and turned to growl at the newcomers.

"Easy, Richard." The noble sitting closest to the dog patted its head. He was a bespectacled middle-aged man who wore a red suit and tie and possessed blonde hair. "What's gotten you in a frenzy all of a sudden?"

The noble sitting across from him nodded his face towards the direction of the students. "It appears we have some uninvited guests in our midst."

The first noble turned with an annoyed expression on his face, but once he got a closer look at Group A's uniforms, that expression dissipated. "Those uniforms…" He inched slightly closer to inspect the students' garments. "So you must be the students that Lord Rufus mentioned."

"What's this all about?" his friend interjected.

"Lord Rufus asked my lord to give some work to some students who came along here for some manner of field study, you see," the noble explained. "However, since he is currently attending to other matters, the request was passed on to the next in line - in other words, me."

"Oho!" His friend sounded intrigued. "That sounds rather interesting."

"It truly is!" he replied to his friend before directing his attention back to the students. "Though I must admit, it vexes me to see that you were able to track me down this easily. I don't recall giving you my information beyond simply my name."

"That's because they have me." Jusis walked forward to the front of the group, making his presence known. "With all due respect, for an intellectual such as yourself, it baffles me that you failed to account for such a crucial detail."

Both nobles widened their eyes upon seeing the young Albarea with the group. "Lord Jusis!" the first noble exclaimed, standing up. "I had no idea that you had returned to Bareahard!"

"You humor me, Ralph," Jusis replied, motioning him to sit back down. "As much as I would like to continue this banter, we are here for business, not pleasure. Your request stated that you want some kind of bath salt?"

"Th-That is correct." Ralph composed himself and sat back down. "If it isn't too much trouble, I would like to request that you procure some pink salt for us."

"Pink?" Jusis asked. "And you are certain that you won't settle for anything else?"

Ralph nodded. "Pink is Lea's favorite kind, after all. She's planning to come visit the manor over the weekend."

Jusis ruminated over the proposition. "If that is the case, then it shouldn't be too much of an issue. However…"

"Is it hard to find?" Rean queried.

Jusis shook his head. "It's not that. We need to make our way through Aurochs Canyon to find it, so the journey won't be easy. Fortunately, we need to head there anyways for the monster request, so it will only be a matter of locating it after we report to Aurochs Fort." He turned back to Ralph. "At what time will Lea be returning to Bareahard?"

"Around 7:00 this evening at the latest, so you should have plenty of time," the blonde noble answered. "If you have other, more important matters to take care of, I would urge you finish those first. I won't be returning to the manor until she arrives, so I plan to stay around this general vicinity until then."

"I will hold you to your word on that." With that, Jusis and the rest of Group A left Ralph and his friend to head to the Artisans' Street for the jewel request.

"If you don't mind me asking…" said Morgan, "Do you two know each other? It looked like you two had some past history."

"We are merely acquaintances," Jusis responded. "Ralph studied under my former fencing instructor for a time, and we familiarized with each other from there. He and his daughter Lea arrived around four years ago seeking refuge from the north, and they've affiliated themselves with Lord Voltaire ever since. He currently serves as the lord's personal assistant and confidant, but he has made a variety of his services available to the public, so he is frequently out and about."

"What kind of services?"

"Is this really the time and place to be talking about the professions of others?" Jusis shot down Morgan's curiosity as quickly as it appeared. "Come. Artisans' Street is just this way."

Following Jusis's lead, Group A walked south from the central plaza towards a street with shops on either side. The buildings were built with modest brown bricks that starkly contrasted the higher-quality of the white-bricked buildings in the rest of the city.

"This area is dedicated to craftsmen and merchants," Jusis explained. "Bareahard's prized gems and fur are all on display here."

Jusis stopped at one jewelry store, named Turner's Jewelers, and entered it, the rest of the students filing in behind him. The students were about to approach the clerk standing behind the front desk, but they stopped when they saw him conversing with a customer.

"It looks like he's with a customer right now," Rean observed. "Should we return later?"

"Well, this request IS one of our mandatory ones…" Morgan noted. "I think we should just wait it out instead."

"Then let's put it to a vote," Fie offered. "Anyone in favor of waiting, say 'I'."

Fortunately, Group A was saved from having to choose when the clerk saw them in the corner of his eye. Turning to face them revealed a name badge on his left side that identified him as Bruc.

"Ah, and here they are!" Bruc said with a smile. "And I see Lord Jusis is with you, too! Welcome to our store. Have you come regarding the field study request?"

"We have," Jusis affirmed. "But I'd ask that you please refrain from giving us any special treatment on my account. If our timing is inconvenient for you, we're quite amenable to returning at a later hour."

Bruc waved both his hands in front of him. "No, no, it's the opposite, in fact! We were just discussing you, as it happens. If you'd allow me to explain…"

First, he introduced the customer he was conversing with, a tourist by the name of Bengt, who he revealed was responsible for the request to begin with. Bengt then explained that he had come to Bareahard looking for a gemstone to create a wedding ring with, but he eventually realized that everything was far beyond his budget. Bruc then recommended that he search for a semi-precious stone known as "Dryad's Tear," which was a gem made from hardened tree sap that possessed beauty rivaling that of other precious gems. The catch, however, was that the trees that yielded the gem were located on the North Kreuzen Highway, which was currently experiencing an increase in the number of monster sightings. Since Bengt had no way to defend himself, he asked Bruc to direct his request to Class VII.

At that moment, a man with blue-colored hair and white-and-blue embroidered clothing calling himself Baron Bleublanc interrupted the conversation. Proclaiming himself a connoisseur and lover of beauty, he confirmed that there was at least one tree along the highway that appeared to have produced a Dryad's Tear, though given his unfamiliarity with the surrounding area, he couldn't remember where he found them exactly. His personality was eccentric to say the least, but a lead was a lead regardless. Thus, Group A decided to head out onto the North Kreuzen Highway in search of the semi-precious stone.

* * *

"Locked and loaded!" Machias took aim with his shotgun as the green lights around the receiver whirred to life. A moment later, he pulled the trigger and fired a bullet that flew so fast and so hard, it blew a hole through the reptilian monster's shell. Though it wasn't a decisive blow, it was enough to stun it briefly.

Morgan grinned from her casting position. Machias's attack bought her enough time to charge her ARCUS even further. Pointing her orbment at the monster, she gave the order to fire and unleashed one of her new arts: Frost Edge. A storm of blades made from crystallized ice formed around the monster and barraged it from multiple directions. Now on the brink of defeat, the monster tried to make one last attempt at running away, but it was stopped short when a singular presence made itself known behind it.

"Too slow." Fie stabbed her gunswords into the spot where Machias's bullet had made an opening in the monster's shell. One pull of the trigger later and the monster went down before it could realize what hit it.

Fie scanned the surrounding vicinity for any more monsters that needed defeating, which there were none. "Hostiles neutralized." She put away her weapons and delivered a small yawn. "Guess we're safe."

"That we are," Morgan agreed with glee. "You see? We can all work together if we put our minds to it."

Rean and Jusis sheathed their weapons and joined the others. "That appears to be promise in numbers," the latter said, "as loath as I am to admit it."

Machias raised an eyebrow. "Hey, you were looking at me when you said that, weren't you?"

Jusis averted his gaze. "As if I'd waste my time gazing at you, Regnitz."

"Guys?" Rean gave a knowing glare at the two of them, promptly shutting them up before things could get out of hand. "Let's just be glad that we're all starting to come together as a group. We have Morgan's battle tactics to thank for that."

It took some experimenting, but Group A managed to find a default formation for their team. Rean and Jusis, with their emphasis on swordplay, would direct their attention towards enemies that got too close. Morgan and Machias would focus on foes that were farther away, with Machias using his shotgun blasts to blow away enemy defenses and allow Morgan to land an easy art. Fie, meanwhile, would provide solo cover fire from afar until an enemy was close to being defeated, at which point she would swoop in for the kill. It was certainly a sound strategy, but it wasn't foolproof, as there was little room for the students to switch combat link partners on the fly. Once again, this was due to the issue of getting Machias and Jusis to fight together, as the time it would take for them to form and maintain a combat link would respectively be too long and too short to be of any practical use in a battle. So instead of risking each others' safety with a faulty pairing, the group decided it would be best to lay down a reliable foundation first, at which point they could branch off to experiment with different pairings and fall back to should things not work out. Progress was slow, but in comparison to how all the students sans Rean fared during the practical exam a few days ago, it was progress nonetheless. Admittedly, being able to communicate verbally also helped a bunch.

After a few more minutes of walking along the highway, the group finally came across a tree that appeared to have a sparkling spot at its trunk. Upon closer inspection, the spot was revealed to be a drop of clear tree sap, hardened and shaped into a sphere.

"I'd say this is it," Morgan decided. "Now to remove it veeery carefully…"

Morgan put three fingers around the Dryad's Tear and started pulling gently. The semi-precious stone came off without a hitch.

"You can see right through it," Fie commented as Morgan showed the jewel for the others to see.

"Its radiance truly is the equal of septium, just as the rumors said," observed Jusis.

"This is going to make a great ring, that's for sure," Rean added.

"I still find it hard to believe that this is actually tree sap…" said Morgan. "Hey, you think this is edible?"

"Don't you even think about it," Machias reprimanded, taking the gem from Morgan's hand for good measure. "Although the fact that we found it means that Baron What's-His-Name was telling the truth."

"Since you mention him, he never did say why he went out of his way to tell us," Rean wondered aloud.

"A connoisseur and lover of beauty, huh?" Morgan snickered. "He seems like a funny guy to be around. Also reminded of me of this one guy I know…"

"Our work here is done," Jusis cut in. "We retrieved what we came here to seek; let us return to Bareahard posthaste."

Morgan pouted as the rest of the group promptly followed Jusis back the way they came. "At least let me finish…"

She looked back to the tree and, on a whim, decided to walk around it. As she did, her eye caught a glimpse of a small glint near the base of the tree's trunk. She knelt down and traced her finger around it to make sure she wasn't just seeing things. Indeed, her finger felt a smooth, hardened surface.

"There's no way…" Morgan delicately placed another finger around the object and removed it. It was small and oval-shaped, almost like a tear, and the surface was see-through. "Well, how about that? Two for the price of one! Has my luck been surging today or what?"

"MORGAN!"

Her mind came back to reality as she heard Rean call her name. "Why are you still over there? We need to get back to Bareahard!"

"Coming!" She hastily put her newfound prize into one of her pouches and dashed to join the group. Maybe she could ask Bruc to make her an accessory for her later…

* * *

Upon returning to the Verdant City, Group A made a beeline for Turner's Jeweler's, where they found the blue-haired baron who gave them directions standing outside the door. Upon noticing the students walking towards the shop, he waved at them.

"Haha! So you have returned at last!" Baron Bleublanc greeted them.

"We have," said Rean. "And we found the Dryad's Tear. Just as you said, there was a tree that had produced one."

"Splendid, splendid!" The baron clapped his hands with glee. "I'm sure someone will leave this store most gratified today!"

"Not sure I like how you worded that…" Fie muttered.

"Also, how come you're standing outside?" Morgan noticed.

"Ah, pay no attention to me," Bleublanc responded. "I am but a _voyeur_ at the moment, one who observes the drama as it unfolds from afar."

"Drama?" The baron's choice of words had Morgan concerned.

"Well, no use in worrying about it now…" Machias reached his hand into his pockets, where he kept the Dryad's Tear. "Let's get this request over with."

He pushed the door open with the rest of the students following after him. Bruc and Bengt were standing by the counter just as Group A had left them, but something seemed off. Instead of having the look of hopeful anticipation on their faces, both the clerk and the customer had looks of...was that defeat?

Rean was the first to speak up. "Umm… Is something wrong?"

Bruc turned to face the students. "Ah, you're back. Do you have the item?"

"We do…" Machias stepped forward and handed the Dryad's Tear to the clerk, who inspected it to see if it was the real deal.

Contrary to what the group was expecting, Bengt made no effort to ask for a closer look and remained silent.

"Okay, something's up," Fie deduced.

Not long after she said that, Bruc walked to an impatient-looking noble and a serene-looking maid who were standing by the back corner of the jewelry store. "Here it is, my liege," he begrudgingly said as he presented the semi-precious jewel to the noble.

The students all looked at each other with puzzled expressions as they inched closer to hear the conversation. Out of the corner of her eye, Morgan could see Baron Bleublanc looking through the window with judging eyes.

The noble held the Dryad's Tear between his thumb and index finger. "So, this is what it looks like…"

"I can confirm that this is a genuine Dryad's Tear," the maid next to the noble said. "I imagine it will be a bit hard, but as it is nothing more than petrified sap, you should be able to consume it without worry."

"Sorry, did she just say 'consume' it?" Morgan whispered.

"W-We had to have heard that wrong…"

Unfortunately for Rean, his fears were realized when the noble unceremoniously plopped the semi-precious stone into his mouth and bit into it with a loud *CHOMP*.

Needless to say, Group A was more than a little upset to see their hard work literally go down the hatch.

"Seriously?!" "What the HELL?!" "...Scum." "Impertinent little…!" "Well, that solves my question of it being edible…"

The noble paid the uproar no mind at first, as he was downing a glass of water his maid had given him to wash down his snack. Once he finished his drink, however, he didn't hesitate to confront the students.

"You lot might want to watch your tone when addressing someone of higher rank than yourself!" he said with contempt. "I shall be generous enough to let it pass this once, but you would do well to mind your manners in the future. If you were to truly anger me, your life could be cut short. Very short indeed."

Morgan's eyebrow twitched. Was this person seriously threatening them?

Jusis, ever hidden in plain sight, proceeded to step forward. "I think you're the one who ought to mind his manners, Count Gorti."

The count looked about ready to reprimand Jusis until he got a closer look, at which point he devolved into a blubbering mess of words. "L-L-L-Lord Jusis?!" he exclaimed. "Wh-Wh-What are you doing in a place like this?!"

"That does not concern you," the young Albarea stated bluntly. "However, we went to great pains to find a Dryad's Tear for that man there." He pointed to Bengt. "And I am most interested in hearing what, exactly, made you feel you had the right to consume it."

"B-But, Lord Jusis…" the count stammered. "I-I legally purchased that stone from him! I have done nothing improper here!"

Jusis turned to face the man in question. "Is what this man says true?"

"Y-Yes, it is." Bengt dejectedly nodded his head. "He agreed that he would give me a sum of mira in exchange for the tear."

"See?" Count Gorti looked more assured in himself. "So that stone was my property, which meant I could do with it whatever I wished!"

"And you wished to...eat it?" Morgan asked.

"If I may…" The maid beside the count raised her hand for permission to explain. "The Dryad's Tear is used in Eastern herbal medicine, as it is said to possess a number of useful properties. Though it is mostly used for nutritional supplementation, there are those who believe it can also prevent the effects of aging."

Morgan turned to Rean. "Rean, you're familiar with the East, right? Is she saying the truth?"

The swordsman nodded his head. "Believe it or not, yes. Herbal medicine is a popular variety of alternative medicine practiced in the Eastern lands, and some of the recipes my master knew about mentioned using tree sap as a mixing agent. I don't think he said anything about it slowing aging, though."

Jusis could only shake his head. "This is utterly ludicrous."

"B-Be that as it may, it is my prerogative! And now that the deed is done, I have no reason to remain here any longer." The count looked to Jusis expectantly. "Lord Jusis, if you would permit it…"

The young Albarea looked just about fed up with the whole debacle, so he curtly said, "Fine. Please leave." And so, the count and his maid left the jewelry store.

"We...apologize for causing a scene." Rean bowed his head slightly, as did the rest of Group A.

"No, I should be the one to apologize," Bengt insisted. "I made you watch that without a word of explanation beforehand, even after all the trouble you went through to get it for me."

"So, what becomes of this quest now?" Machias asked.

"There's no stone left to make the ring," Fie pointed out. "Does that mean we failed?"

"No, you did exactly what we asked of you. It's unfortunate that things ended how they did, but that was through no fault of yours." Bruc fished out a quartz from one of his pockets and placed it on the counter for Group A to take. "I understand how you must feel, but you still fulfilled this request, so you deserve nothing less than the reward you were promised."

Reluctantly, Rean took the quartz. "We'll decide who gets to keep this later," he told the other students. "For now, we need to start heading to Aurochs Canyon."

The others nodded and followed him out of the store...with the exception of Morgan, who stayed behind.

"Uh, pardon? Young miss?" Bruc called to her. "I think your friends have already left."

"Oh, I know that," Morgan responded. "I'm just wondering what's going to happen to Bengt now."

The two looked at the aforementioned customer, who was currently taking his time in looking at the other jewels that were on display.

"Thanks for the concern, but I think he'll be fine," assured Bruc. "I hate to sound insensitive, but thanks to that count, he has enough money to buy any local ring without worrying about his budget. Still, that doesn't change the fact that a Dryad's Tear is rare to come across…"

Morgan retrieved her own stone from her pouch and placed it on the counter. "You mean this?"

Bruc had to blink his eyes multiple times to make sure he was seeing correctly. "By Aidios! Is that-?"

"It's a secret to everybody." Morgan put her index finger to her lips to hush him. "Truth be told, I was hoping you could use this to make an accessory for a friend of mine, but I think this is more important right now. It's not as big as the previous one, but this should do, right?"

The jeweler inspected the stone. "No doubt about it. This is just about the right size for a ring, too. But are you sure about this?"

"Positive. It's not like I have the resources to pay up front right now anyways."

"At least let me recompense you…" Bruc started walking to the cash register. "How much are you willing to part with it for?"

"Uh, you already gave us the reward, remember?" she reminded him.

"That was for the first stone," he clarified. "This is a different transaction, so I need to give you a different reward. Part of the rules of the trade."

"Umm…"

Before Morgan could answer back, a rattling sound came from the window. She looked over to find Fie sticking her thumb in the other direction and mouthing the words "We're leaving without you."

"Actually, can we put a pin in this?" Morgan clapped both her hands together. "Right now, I need to get back to my classmates. If you're free later today, though, I can swing by and we can talk then."

"S-Sure. That won't be an issue." Bruc nodded with understanding. "We close at 7:30 tonight, so don't keep me waiting."

"Good man." She waved good-bye. "See you then."

As she exited the store to follow Fie and the others, she saw Bruc approach Bengt with a much more optimistic expression on his face.

'I'm sorry, Your Highness,' Morgan apologized in her head. 'But it doesn't look like I'll be able to pay you back for my birthday anytime soon.'

* * *

"Just to be sure: you two really want to go through with this?" asked Morgan.

"Yes." Machias nodded his head. "We need to form a proper combat link already. We won't fail this time."

"Put us on the front lines, and we'll show you how it's done!" Jusis agreed.

Group A had made their way through the Aurochs Canyon Path in search of the creature they were sent to exterminate. As Jusis had warned them, the venture was long and treacherous with uneven terrain and the occasional encounter with lesser monsters. The fortunate thing about the smaller skirmishes was that it gave the students more opportunities to try different team compositions now that they had a default formation to fall back to. Most fortunate of all were the improvements that Machias and Jusis were making to better their cooperation. Perhaps the debacle with the botched Dryad's Tear had finally given them something to agree upon, as they were gradually becoming more consistent in forming a combat link; though there were still a few issues with maintaining it, the two warring students were definitely in a better place now than they were before.

Eventually, the students came across their target in a circular clearing: a bipedal crustacean-looking monster with claws for arms and elongated horns and pincers on its face that was given the designation "Fate Spinner" by the request. The students withdrew momentarily to discuss how to best approach the monster when Machias and Jusis, much to the others' surprise, suggested that they link with each other. If nothing else, they were at least determined to prove everyone wrong, and that was certainly a start.

"All right," Morgan relented. "If you think you're ready, then we won't stop you. Rean? Fie? Let's help them as best we can."

"Of course." Rean turned to Fie. "Fie, you want to try linking with me this time?"

"Okay," the silver-haired girl replied.

"Then I'll hang back and provide support," Morgan finalized. "There aren't many places in the clearing we can use to take cover, so we're going to have to make the most of our entrance." She held up her orbment. "We'll go once I use my art. Any objections?"

Everyone in the group shook their heads.

"Then let's get into position."

Each of the students unsheathed or readied their weapons and adopted a reverse 2-2-1 formation, with Morgan standing in the front and the two pairs positioning in a square behind her. This way, Morgan would only need to concentrate on hitting the monster without worrying about friendly fire. Two pairs of ARCUS links were formed, one between Rean and Fie, and another between Machias and Jusis. With one final nod between each of the students, Morgan began charging her art.

"The wheel of fate is spinning…" she said as an orbal field started glowing around her. "Now go get 'em!"

She thrust her ARCUS forward and cast her art, calling forth a storm of ice blades that successfully caught the monster off guard. From behind her, the rest of the students ran forward in their pairs, Machias and Jusis flanking the left side and Rean and Fie covering the right.

The monstrous crustacean recovered from the surprise attack to find its path forward blocked by the students. Hissing, it kicked one of its feet back three times before jumping to the left. Before anyone could attack it, however, it changed course by jumping to the right, then immediately pounced forwards in Morgan's direction. With only a few seconds to react, Morgan lengthened her weapon and hastily positioned it sideways to defend herself before the Fate Spinner came crashing down on her. The only reason Morgan's head wasn't bitten off was because her polearm was able to prevent the monster's pincers from coming together.

With the pace of the battle suddenly moving from offense to defense, the other members of Group A moved to help their fallen teammate. Fie took the initiative by opening fire with her gunswords, followed by Rean dashing in for a quick strike before retreating. The monster screeched at the sudden attack and immediately turned to face the pair, allowing Morgan to roll out of the way safely. As she prepared a healing art for herself just to be on the safe side, Jusis jumped in to engage the creature, delivering a series of three rapid thrusts followed by a horizontal swing. After sustaining the attack, it crossed its clawed arms to defend itself. Jusis was about to maneuver around it to see if he could attack it from the side, but he stopped after hearing his name called out by his partner. Machias took aim with his shotgun and unloaded a round that packed enough force to break the monster's flimsy guard.

"Go!" he yelled to his teammate.

"Don't tell me what to do!" Jusis fired back as he stroked past the monster's guard to deal a critical blow.

The battle continued to proceed like that for a while, with the linked pairs alternating between themselves in getting past the monster's defense and attacking while it was staggered before retreating. Morgan would try to position herself behind the monster as often as possible so when she cast an offensive art, it would land on the monster's exposed back instead of its protected front. The monster kept everyone on their toes by changing its jumping patterns, feinting attacks, and even spewing some noxious vomit from its mouth, but the odds were overall looking to be in Group A's favor.

At least, until the link between Jusis and Machias suddenly broke.

It occured when Machias was preparing to fire his shotgun when the Fate Spinner's arms were crossed in front of it. Instead of preparing to take the hit as it usually did, the monster abruptly charged forward, causing Machias to stumble backwards and fall on top of Jusis. The two were able to get back on their feet, but as soon as they did, they gave each other confused looks.

"Wha-?"

"Hey!" Morgan had to personally shove the two out of harm's way as the monster had tried to attack them. "What's wrong?"

"Our link's been severed!" Machias hurriedly explained.

"What?!"

Machias pointed to Jusis accusedly. "It was him!"

"Don't try to place the blame on me!" Jusis replied, looking appalled.

Morgan silently cursed. Of all the times this could have happened, it had to be when they just got the monster pinned down. Due to the break in formation, the Fate Spinner had more room to move about in the clearing, leaving Fie and Rean to try and catch up to it. At this rate, trying to amend the link between Machias and Jusis would do more harm than good to the group, so the only available option was to fall back to an old strategy.

She took her eyes of the monster momentarily to look at her two classmates. "Let's worry about this later. Can you guys still link with everyone else?"

Jusis and Machias both nodded their heads. "I believe so," the former answered.

"Great. You guys remember the practical exam? Let's use those teams. Machias? You pair up with Fie. Keep doing what you've been doing and break its guard, but stand as far away as possible so you can react to it if it charges. Jusis? Focus on getting behind that thing so you'll be able to attack it when it counts. We aren't restricted anymore, so talk to each other whenever necessary, got it?"

Both males gave their consent. "Then let's go redeem ourselves." Morgan turned to shout at her other classmates. "Guys! Change of plans! Fie, link with Machias! Rean, link with me! Let's end this in one go!"

Both classmates nodded to each other and cut off their link. Fie immediately broke off into a sprint to join up with Machias while Rean kept the monster at bay, halting its advances with quick strikes from his tachi.

From behind the monster, Morgan and Jusis prepared some orbal arts using their ARCUS units. Morgan went first, casting an Aqua Bleed art to launch a heavy mass of water towards the monster. Jusis followed up by casting Air Strike, firing a mass of compressed air that flew at high speed. Both arts hit the monster, causing it to turn and retaliate. As it pounced towards them, Morgan and Jusis separated so the monster landed on empty ground...right into Machias and Fie's line of fire. The two gun users fired their projectiles at will, catching the monster off guard.

With the monster occupied, Morgan and Rean hastily tied their ARCUS link. Their thoughts synchronized, Morgan felt Rean's intent to attack and began preparing for a follow-up attack. She was expecting to see him running closer to the enemy, but when she looked at her partner, she instead found him in the exact same spot that he was in: at a safe distance from the monster with his tachi sheathed.

Morgan was slightly perplexed. 'He's attacking from that far?' she thought.

Her instincts, however, told her to trust him, so she didn't say a word. Moments later, she saw Rean's sheath glow a faint blue, indicating he was concentrating some form of energy onto his weapon. The swordsman exhaled and drew his sword so quickly and so forcefully that a crescent-shaped shock wave was created and flew straight into the monster, causing it to stagger.

'Guess that's my cue!' Without a moment to marvel at her classmate's new technique, Morgan lengthened her weapon and performed a flurry of stabs followed by a roundhouse swing.

Jusis, having waited for his chance to attack, swooped in immediately after Morgan. "The finishing strike is mine!" A forceful thrust was delivered to the monster's abdomen, which caused it to slump to the ground in defeat.

As Jusis removed his sword from the monster and flicked his blade to remove the blood, the other members of Group A gathered around their defeated enemy's body.

"That was rough," Rean commented, panting.

"It wasn't pretty," Morgan admitted, a bit short of breath herself, "but a win is still a win."

"...Only just," said Fie.

Compared to everyone else, Fie looked the least tired. Morgan would have commended her for her stamina, had her attention not been directed to a more pressing matter at the moment. Naturally, as soon as the battle ended, the two students who had failed to complete their initial goal confronted each other.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Jusis Albarea?!" said Machias angrily. "Why did you sever the link?!"

"Don't even think of trying to place the blame on me, Machias Regnitz!" Jusis responded, his tone just as angry. "YOU were the one who severed the link!"

With each verbal exchange, Machias and Jusis were inching closer and closer until they were literally at each other's necks. "You said you'd cooperate, but you just couldn't do it, could you?" Machias continued. "You couldn't bring yourself to stoop to the same level as a commoner like me! You nobles are utterly hopeless, through and through!"

"You asinine little…!" Jusis couldn't restrain himself any longer and grabbed the bespectacled student by the collar. "Why can't you see that all of this is born from your own prejudice and narrow-mindedness?!"

Machias was more than happy to return the gesture. Things were getting very violent, very quickly.

"That's ENOUGH!" Rean tried to stop them without resorting to physical force, but to no avail.

"Stay out of this! This is our problem!" yelled Machias.

"Why don't we settle this once and for all?" Jusis offered. "Let me show you how much better than you I really am!"

At that moment, a series of events occurred in rapid succession.

First, the Fate Spinner that Group A presumed they had defeated rose back to its feet.

Second, the Fate Spinner leapt forwards at Jusis and Machias with its claws bared in an attempt to impale the both of them.

Third, Rean reacted with speeds that were humanly impossible and pushed Jusis and Machias out of the way.

And finally, the monster brought down its claws on Rean.

"Aaagh!"

"R-Rean?!"

* * *

 **Author's note: Another month, another chapter. Hope I didn't keep you all waiting.  
Since most of the action for the first day of the field study was packed into this chapter, the next chapter will be on the slower side. But on the flip side, it means there are more opportunities for character building, so I hope you look forward to that.**

 **And since I'm uploading this on July 4th, Happy Independence Day to all my American readers.** **(-ω-ゞ**


	19. May 29th - Field Study Day 1, Pt 3

**[IS]: Insert song - "Bullet Dance (Blazblue: Calamity Trigger)"  
[ISE]: Insert song end**

* * *

Time seemed to slow down for Morgan as she watched the events play out, from the moment the monster they thought they defeated stood up to when Rean pushed Machias and Jusis out of the way and took an attack that was meant for them. Though he was able to shift his body slightly to avoid attacks to the vital areas, Rean still sustained a heavy hit to his upper right arm. The monster's claw ripped the fabric of Rean's uniform and left a big gash.

"Aaagh!"

"R-Rean?!"

As she said his name, the only things that were going through Morgan's head was what she could have done to prevent something like this. She should have checked to see if the monster was truly defeated. She should have stabbed it at least a few more times just to make sure it was dead. She should have…

She should have…

* * *

" _You should have known better!" her father angrily rebuked her. "We told you not to go running off on your own, and look what has happened! Because of you, your mother is…!"_

 _The image replayed over and over in her head. A monster catching her off guard and lunging at her. Her mother pushing her out of the way. The monster's claws slashing across her mother's delicate face._

 _In the background, she could hear the nurse's voice deliver the news to their relatives. "...damage is permanent. At this rate, she won't be able to…"_

" _I'm sorry," she quietly apologized, hanging her head in shame and on the verge of tears. "I'm really sorry. I'll be a good girl, just don't be angry…"_

" _You don't realize it, do you?" Her father knelt down in front of her and embraced her. "I'm only acting like this because I love you! If neither of us got there in time, you would have…"_

 _At the sight of her father's quivering voice and faltering grip, she finally understood the gravity of the situation._

" _I've been a bad girl…" she whispered. "Haven't I?"_

" _Morgan," he told her. "You're our pride and joy. Your mother and I would lay down our lives for you without question. We devoted our lives to making sure yours was a peaceful one, but in doing so, we deliberately sheltered you from the harshness of reality. We wanted to tell you once you were of age, but it seems that time won't wait for us."_

 _He put his hands on her shoulders and looked at her dead in the eyes. "Let today be a harsh lesson for you: your actions will have consequences. Some may be small, while some can last a lifetime. I won't be around forever to save you, so the only thing you can do is learn from your past mistakes and ensure they don't happen again. Sometimes you may fail, but trying is better than doing nothing. Promise me, both for my sake and your mother's…"_

* * *

 **[IS]** No. Things weren't going to end the same way.

Morgan was so furious, she began to see red. The sound of laughter reverberated through her ears. She drew her weapon, and in the corner of her eye, she saw someone else do the same. No words were uttered between the two of them, for one look at each other's eyes was all they needed.

Fie opened with a sweep of bullets from her gunswords, all expertly aimed at the monster's head and feet to lock down its position. Morgan then dashed forward and stabbed her axe past the monster's guard before forcefully dislodging it upwards. The monster began its retaliation by stepping back, moving to the left and right, and finally pouncing forward, but Morgan wasn't going to fall for the same trick twice. As the Fate Spinner lunged with its pincers, she changed her weapon to its two-handed form and pointed it forwards, resulting in the monster impaling itself on the blade of the bardiche. Though its weight caused Morgan to step back a bit, she managed to stand her ground.

With the monster stuck in one place, Fie went into motion. She leapt onto the monster's back, stuck her gunswords in between its shell and flesh, and pulled the trigger. The gunshots caused the monster to writhe in pain and shake Fie off its back. She took off before she could lose her footing, performing a front flip and landing cleanly on her feet.

Finally, Morgan fished out her ARCUS and began a quick cast. Not even bothering with what stage her art was in, she pressed her orbment against the monster's body and gave the order to fire, resulting in a small fiery explosion that launched the Fate Spinner away from her. As the monster hit the ground, Morgan ran up to it and stabbed her weapon through its chest. Once again, the monster's body went limp, seemingly for good.

"And stay dead this time." With their target silenced, Morgan's vision cleared up. She felt like she had just come out of a daze. **[ISE]**

"...Nice work," Rean weakly congratulated.

She and Fie walked over to him. "Rean! You all right?" Morgan called to him.

"I'm fine," he insisted, clenching his shoulder. "It's just a scratch."

His wincing expression indicated that it was not, in fact, just a scratch.

"Scratch or no scratch, we should treat it while we're still in the clear." Morgan knelt down beside him. "I'll need to take off your jacket first. Fie, could you grab the other end?"

"On it." Fie knelt down and tugged at Rean's other sleeve.

"Machias? Jusis?" Morgan called to the remaining two group members. "I hate to ask you two to cooperate, but could you watch out for any monsters?"

"R-Right." "It shall be so."

Both males readily complied. It was evident from their expressions that they were feeling guilty.

"I was so sure we'd killed it, though!" bemoaned Rean. "Guess I shouldn't have let my guard down."

Morgan shook her head. "No, this one was on me. I should have checked on it beforehand."

"We all messed up," Fie curtly stated. The look of disappointment permeated through her usual stoic facade, though whether that disappointment was directed inwards or outwards was ambiguous.

At last, Rean's jacket was off, leaving just a short-sleeved dress shirt. The wound was one long, bloody gash along his upper arm that reached his shoulder. Morgan retrieved a healing balm from one of her pockets.

"That healing balm…" Rean regarded it with a slight familiarity. "Isn't that the one we got from Celdic last month?"

"From the father? Yeah, it is." Morgan screwed open the top. "'A good tactician always has something in case of emergencies.' Rean, could you roll up your sleeve?"

The swordsman complied and Morgan began applying the ointment. Rean winced as the healing effects started to kick in.

Morgan finished things by preparing an art with her ARCUS. "Tear." A watery glow surrounded Rean's arm as the bleeding stopped.

"That should do for now." Morgan helped Rean roll his sleeve down and put his jacket back on. "I'd do more, but we're all the way out here in the open. It's best if we go back to Bareahard first."

"This is more than enough," assured Rean. "Thanks, Morgan, Fie."

"You know, this takes me back to Instructor Beatrix's classes," Morgan said to lighten the mood. "Remember when we first learned how to dress wounds?"

"That was two weeks ago, right?" Fie recounted. "I remember cause we had our practical exam on the 14th, the same day as Sara's peer evaluations."

"You've got a good memory," Morgan commended her.

Together, she and Fie helped Rean to stand up. To rest his shoulder, Rean tucked his right arm into his jacket while buttoning only a few of his jacket buttons to make a makeshift sling. The incapacitation of his sword arm, however, meant that Rean wouldn't be able to participate in combat for the time being.

"Hey…"

The three looked up to see Machias and Jusis walking back towards them.

"I'm sorry, Rean," Machias apologized. "I…"

"It's our fault you were injured," Jusis finished.

Rean shook his head. "Oh, don't worry about it. It wouldn't have happened if I'd-" He noticed Morgan and Fie staring at him and decided to amend his statement. "No, if _we'd_ been paying more attention. This is a learning experience for all of us, but at least neither of you were hurt."

'You could stand to show a little concern for yourself, you know…' was what Morgan wanted to say, but considering how quick she was to blame herself for the situation, she withheld her comment.

"At any rate," Rean continued, "we need to tell the provincial army about the monster we just defeated. Speaking of which…" He turned to Morgan. "Morgan, aren't you going to do something about that?"

He used his left arm to point to the spot where the Fate Spinner was. The body itself had disappeared, as all monster bodies did, and in its place was a bounty of sepith that was waiting to be collected.

Morgan grinned. "Why, yes! I think I will."

* * *

Group A continued along the canyon path until they came across a huge stone brick archway and were met with the full sight of Aurochs Fort. Morgan recalled how Misty had mentioned that the fort underwent some heavy reconstruction, but the radio hostess's words did little to prepare her for the real thing. From just its appearance alone, the fort exuded dominance through defense; the tall towers and thick fortifications made entirely of stone bricks helped to give off the impression of a Middle Age fortress that was brought into the modern world and further reinforced on top of that. If anything, "Aurochs Fort" had become more like "Aurochs Castle."

To the left of the fort was a set of train tracks that acted as the only other means of entry aside from the front gates. As the students walked closer to the fort, they caught a glimpse of one freight train that was carrying a huge number of vehicles covered by blue hoods behind it. Judging from the shapes of the vehicles, they appeared to be heavily armored tanks, and it was then that Morgan remembered another tidbit Misty had mentioned: a rumor that the duke was acquiring state-of-the-art tanks for his provincial army.

Naturally, the sight of a provincial army going to such lengths to arm itself garnered the curiosity of the other members of Group A as well, with Machias being the first to pester Jusis about the whole matter. But when the younger Albarea was given a chance to talk…

"Can you truly be so ignorant?" he snided, showing his hand to the fortress. "This is the reality of the present situation within the Empire. Tensions between Osborne's Reformist Faction and our Noble Faction grow worse by the day, though admittedly, it's been happening mostly under the surface, away from the eyes of the general populace. This is just one of the many ways that conflict is manifesting itself."

"I've heard the rumors…" Morgan murmured. "But seeing it in person is something else."

"No doubt my father was the one who ordered these fortifications," Jusis surmised. "I have no intention of giving any comments of my own on his decision, but if you wish to lodge a complaint, I'm quite happy to listen."

Jusis eyed Machias as if he was daring him to start fuming, but the bespectacled teen shook his head. "No, it's fine. We need to hurry up and finish our tasks. The sun's going down."

Indeed, the sun had already started to move past its zenith in the sky. The students decided not to waste any more time and reported the completion of the monster request to the guards stationed at the front gate. From there, they made their way back to the canyon path where they made a slight detour to gather the pink bath salts for Ralph.

"If I recall, the salt deposits should be in this general vicinity…" Jusis said as he brushed aside some foliage. "Ah, there they are."

He pointed to a particular spot on a natural formation that was colored a faint shade of pink.

"So these are bath salts…" Rean remarked. "Do nobles really put this in the bath?"

"You are a noble yourself, are you not?" Jusis responded with a raised eyebrow. "I thought this shouldn't have surprised you in the least."

"That's just how I was raised." Rean raised his index finger. "'A lord should live like his people, not above them,' is how my dad always put it."

"An interesting philosophy," Jusis mused with slight curiosity, "but the reasoning behind it is understandable. Well, I don't really care for bath salts myself, but they seem to have some positive health effects. Perhaps that is why Lea has been taken with these as of late."

"That's the name of Ralph's daughter, right?" Morgan asked to make sure. She had started working on chipping away salt pieces with her weapon and showed her collection to Jusis. "What's she like?"

"I suppose the right word for her would be 'coarse.'" Jusis looked at Morgan's batch of salt crystals and nodded in approval. "She wears a stoic facade a majority of the time, but in truth, she can be rather stubborn and temperamental. She also has quite the sharp tongue when provoked."

"Stubborn and temperamental, you say?" Morgan's eyes wandered to Machias, who was currently reprimanding Fie for attempting to lick a piece of salt. "Well, that reminds me of a certain someone…"

"There is one key difference, however," Jusis quickly added, "and that is her honesty. She isn't afraid to speak her mind, no matter who she is talking to. That trait alone makes her at least more tolerable to be around than our class vice president."

"Heeeh…" Morgan started to raise her eyebrow.

"You'd best watch your eyebrows, Daraen," Jusis warned. "I know what you're about to say, and your thoughts couldn't be further from the truth. Also, I must ask: why must you use your weapon to gather the bath salts?"

"Well, how else am I supposed to mine for them?" she asked. "Pick them by hand?"

"That would at least be a better alternative than the axe you use to kill monsters with," he replied drily. "At least try to show some decency for the people you're doing this for."

"Bath salt is still salt, right? It'll just dissolve and no one will even notice how it got there." Morgan put a finger to her lips. "It's not like I'm using it to cook or something like that."

"For future reference, don't even think of using your weapon to cook," Jusis pleaded.

"Oh, I'd never stoop to something that barbaric," she claimed. "I did use my mother's sword to cut apples once when I was younger, but that's about it. Needless to say, she never let me use it as a fruit knife ever again."

"I grieve for your mother."

At that moment, the students were interrupted by the sound of a loud siren reverberating through the canyon.

"What's that…?" wondered Rean.

"I know that siren!" Jusis turned in the direction of Aurochs Fort. "Something must have occurred at Aurochs Fort."

The students hastily gathered their supplies and rushed out to the main path.

"!"

"What is it, Fie?" asked Morgan.

"Up there."

The group looked in the direction of Fie's finger. Rising above the fort was a silver...thing that appeared to be carrying a small child. It vanished as quickly as it appeared, but the shape of the unidentified flying object resembled that of the scarecrow Instructor Sara used for her practical exams.

Before Group A could discern what they had just witnessed, they heard the horn of a vehicle headed their way. It was one of the armored cars from the fort.

"Lord Jusis!" The provincial soldier that sat in the passenger's seat exited the vehicle. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but could we have a moment of your time?"

"Is this about that silver thing that flew past us?" Machias guessed.

"Y-You saw it?!" the soldier exclaimed. "Which direction did it go?!"

"It flew off to the southwest mere moments ago," Jusis answered. "And at a rather significant speed, might I add."

The soldier cursed to the side before apologizing for his language. "If you'll please excuse us! Do take care, Lord Jusis!"

"You won't be able to catch it," Fie commented.

"That may be so," the soldier admitted, "but we must try! The object was carrying an intruder. Our pride as the provincial army is at stake!"

With a salute to Jusis, the soldier reentered the car and gave directions to the driver. The armored vehicle quickly drove out of the students' sight.

"So there was an intruder at the fort…" Jusis murmured.

"Some good those defenses did," Fie minorly scoffed.

"I'm more curious about the silver object," said Machias. "It looked like that 'scarecrow' Instructor Sara uses, but bigger and it could fly."

"You guys think we should mention this in our report?" Rean proposed. "It isn't related to our field study, but it is noteworthy."

The group collectively agreed before they continued along the Aurochs Canyon Path back to Bareahard.

* * *

The sun had already begun to set by the time Group A returned to the Verdant City, and they were all exhibiting varying amounts of fatigue. The students didn't run into any monsters on the way back, much to their relief, but with all the walking and fighting they did today, they were just about ready to turn in for the day.

However, there was one last request they had yet to fulfill, so the group made a beeline for Sorciere. As promised, Ralph had remained in the same location in the terrace outside the restaurant, though his position had changed since they last met. Now he was sitting at a different table by himself while reading a small novel, his friend from earlier nowhere to be seen. His dog, meanwhile, was sitting by one of the terrace corners and admiring the sunset.

"Ralph," Jusis called to the noble. "We have returned.

The bespectacled noble looked up from his book. "Ah, Lord Jusis! Welcome back-" His eyes immediately turned from calm to panicked as he eyed one student in particular. "You! Young man with the black hair!"

"I'm Rean, sir."

"Let me see your arm!" He rose from his chair and marched over to Rean. "My word, what the blazes happened out there?"

"We...er, had an accident while hunting some monsters," Morgan summarized.

Machias and Jusis noticeably grimaced at that.

Ralph retrieved a pocket watch and checked the time. "I suppose I have enough time. Please, may I ask that you take me to your lodgings? I'm afraid I can't take this lying down."

That surprised the students. "Why?" asked Fie.

"Why else?" Ralph looked at Fie incredulously. "One does not simply leave an injury such as this unchecked! I shall treat it myself!"

"Treat?" Morgan repeated. "Are you sure? I mean, we wouldn't want to inconvenience you."

"I recall you asking earlier today what sort of services he provided, correct?" Jusis recounted to Morgan. "You see, Ralph here is a practitioner of the medical arts. Rest assured, you're in good hands."

Ralph bowed slightly. "You flatter me, Lord Jusis."

"What about payment?" Rean pointed out. "I don't think we have the mira to cover a house visit."

"Ah, yes. About that." The bespectacled noble looked around at the entire group. "Do you happen to have the bath salts I asked for?"

"Yes, sir," Morgan answered. "I have them right here."

"Then we have a deal," Ralph went to gather his belongings. "I will provide my services as a reward for the completion of the request. That should suffice, no?"

Given how Ralph genuinely seemed willing to lend a hand, Group A had little reason to decline his offer. The bespectacled noble whistled for his dog, who loyally got up to follow him. "Now then, let's get a move on, shall we?"

The group plus Ralph made their way to the hotel across from the restaurant, but just as they were about to enter, a car horn honked from behind them. The group slowly turned to find the Albarea family car parked outside the hotel.

With his eyes widened, Jusis immediately began descending the hotel steps and towards the limousine. As he neared it, one of the windows lowered to reveal an older man with a mustache wearing ornate clothes. Jusis bowed in respect, and upon further inspection of the passenger, Ralph did the same.

"I'm terribly sorry for not coming to greet you, Father," Jusis said. "Although I'm here but for a short time, I, Jusis, have returned to-"

"Enough." His father cut him off without even looking. "As I informed Rufus, you may do as you wish while you're here. However, you will do nothing that brings shame upon myself, nor upon the Albarea name." He then turned to face Jusis with scathing eyes. "Please be ever mindful of your position and what you represent."

Jusis stood there, silent, before bowing dutifully. "Yes, Father."

"Should I require anything of you, you will be contacted." With that, Jusis's father turned away and raised the car window before the limousine drove away.

The other members of Group A, who couldn't even begin to comprehend the interaction that had just occurred between father and son, were about to descend the steps to join Jusis, but they were stopped by Ralph's arms.

"Now, now." Ralph grouped the teenagers together. "Please, guide me to your rooms posthaste."

"But what about-"

"I understand your concern for Lord Jusis," Ralph interrupted Rean, "but I believe it's best to let him be for the moment. The relationship between father and son is not one outsiders should tread lightly on."

As Ralph shepherded the students into the hotel, Jusis could only stare at the ground and sigh. Truthfully, he had half-expected to not receive any acknowledgement at all during his stay at Bareahard, so he should have felt grateful that his father at least went out of his way to address him personally. And yet, that did little to assuage the sting of the greeting.

Those cold, accusing eyes had not lost their touch in the slightest. Jusis couldn't even muster up the courage to introduce his new classmates, though given his father's temperament, he probably would have brushed them off regardless. He silently cursed to himself; what family pride could he ever hope to uphold if his own pride in himself buckled under the gaze of others?

So, he started to walk. He should have gone back to regroup with his classmates, but they likely would have pestered him on the encounter they had just witnessed. Between this, Count Gorti's impertinence, the new and frankly unnecessary renovations to Aurochs Fort, and his part in indirectly causing Rean's injury, Jusis desperately needed a moment to cool off. Pedestrians along the streets stopped to greet him, but they abstained when they saw his disgruntled expression. It was understandable; given his social status, no person would ever have the gall to interrupt him while he was in a bad mood. So, he continued to walk.

...Until he bumped into someone who failed to get out of his way in time.

"My apologies-" Jusis started to say, but then he eyed the person more closely.

"Someone looks more out of it than usual today," the person said with a condescending female voice. "Almost like one of those dead animals Richard would drag in every morning."

Given his social status, no person should ever have had the gall to interrupt him while he was in a bad mood.

"You would bump into me on purpose," Jusis scoffed, "just for a chance to tell that to my face? You have a lot of nerve."

But it seems the Goddess had other plans.

"Only that which has been tempered by steel." The female curtsied. "I'm looking for someone. Would you care to tell me where he is?"

* * *

"...And that should do it." Ralph wrapped the last of the bandages around Rean's shoulder. "Just take care not to touch the wound or make any sporadic movements. Medicine can work wonders, but time is the best healer."

"It already feels much better," Rean remarked. "Thank you very much, Doctor."

"Please, I'm not a doctor," Ralph chuckled. "At least, not officially. Now, regarding my payment…"

"Right here." Morgan retrieved the small bounty of bath salts from her pouch and handed them to the noble, who took a moment to inspect them.

"Exquisite," he remarked. "These salts are more than worth the down payment. And do not fret about the exact amount; such things are priceless if it is for Lea."

"You really care for her a lot, don't you?" Morgan questioned.

"Oh, you don't know the brunt of it," Ralph replied. "There are only a handful of people that I trust these days, and Lea is the only one who I trust wholefully."

"And why is that?" Machias blurted out, to which he was met with a handful of questionable glares. "W-With all due respect, I was just curious."

"It's quite the tragic tale, you see." He chuckled lowly to himself as he began putting away his equipment. "I hail from Remiferia, where I studied medicine as all Remiferians do. However, following the bio-terrorist attack five years ago, I lost everything. My wealth, my possessions, even those whom I called friends...the only thing that kept me going was my daughter Lea. We made our way down south with nothing but rapiers to defend ourselves with…"

"I thought you said you lost all your possessions," Fie abruptly cut in.

Instead of reacting angrily, Ralph merely threw his head back and laughed. "Haha! Well, perhaps not everything. At any rate, we crossed the border to Erebonia and found our way to the Kreuzen Province, where Lord Voltaire was kind enough to give us refuge. We slowly built our way back up from there, and by the Goddess's grace, we were able to become acquainted with Duke Albarea and his family as well."

"That IS quite the tale," Rean commented. "I can definitely understand why you would want to look out for your family."

"Yes. I would do anything to keep her safe." Ralph then checked his pocket watch. "And speaking of which, it's almost past 7:00, so I should be going." He knelt down to scratch his dog's chin. "Thank you again for retrieving the bath salts. I bid you and Lord Jusis the best of luck on the rest of your field study."

With one final bow, the bespectacled noble left the students with his dog tailing behind him.

"He was...something," Fie said once the door closed.

"Even if he said he wasn't a doctor, he definitely knows how to act like one." Rean noted. "Hm? What's up, Machias?"

The son of Governor Regnitz was sitting on his bed in contemplation. "He was a noble, yet he didn't think twice about helping someone in need," he murmured to himself. "Putting it like that, he's just like…"

He noticed Rean looking at him confusedly. Instead of addressing his classmate, he simply averted his gaze.

"Oh!" Morgan got up to her feet. "I just remembered! I have someplace I need to be!"

"You do?" Rean questioned. "Where?"

"It's a secret to everybody!" Morgan hastily gathered her ARCUS. "Don't worry; it's just for a short while. I'll be back before you know it!"

Before anyone could say anything, Morgan was already out the door.

"Did she just say 'it's a secret to everybody'?" queried Machias.

"She did," Fie affirmed. "It's got a nice ring to it."

The bespectacled vice president scratched his head. "Why do I feel like I've heard that somewhere before…?"

Rean got up from his bed and lumbered over to the table where the students had put the envelope containing the field study tasks. He was wearing his academy jacket properly this time, no longer tucking in his right arm to wear as a makeshift sling. Thanks to Ralph's treatment, Rean was able to move his arm much more freely with almost none of the pain. In fact, he felt like he was ready to get back on the front lines and start fighting again. However, he knew better than to disobey a trained professional's orders, and regardless of how Ralph currently viewed himself, he was certainly a professional.

*KNOCK* *KNOCK*

A knocking sound came from the door.

"Come in," Rean responded.

The door opened to reveal Jusis on the other side.

"Welcome back," Rean said. "Are you feeling all right?"

Jusis snorted. "That should be my line, but since you asked first, yes. I'm feeling better. I needed some time to myself is all."

Rean nodded. "That's good to hear. As you can see, my arm is feeling a lot better now. Ralph really does know his stuff."

"By the way, I saw Daraen running out of the hotel a few moments ago," the younger Albarea added. "She was heading towards Artisans' Street. Do any of you have a theory as to why she would go there at this hour?"

Fie made a humming sound.

"Do you know something about it, Fie?" Machias asked.

After a few moments of silence, the silver-haired girl shrugged her shoulders. "Guess it's a secret to everybody."

Machias pressed his palm against his face. "Great, now you're doing it, too."

"Doing what?" Jusis, having not been present at the time of Morgan's departure, was understandably confused.

"She just said...never mind, it's nothing important." Machias shook his head. "Seriously, I could've sworn I heard that somewhere before…"

* * *

For the first time since she left for Bareahard, Morgan felt like she was thoroughly enjoying herself.

There were a number of tribulations on their first day, including a skirmish against a quest monster that ended far less spectacularly than it should have, but by the end of the day, she was able to enjoy what Bareahard had to offer. To list what Morgan did after Rean's arm was treated, she trekked back to Turner's Jewelers to meet with Bruc, became over 9,000 mira richer, and had a fulfilling dinner at Bareahard's most famous restaurant without having to spend anything. The one downside of the meal was that the menu was fixed due to the nature of the reservation, so Morgan wasn't able to order the deluxe herb chowder. However, the succulent flavors provided by the other dishes more than made up for that.

Now Morgan was putting the finishing touches to her report for the day. She got a bit of a late start on it, which was justified since she had been occupied with other matters, so naturally she was also the last student to hand one in. Morgan remembered to add certain parts, like the sighting of the floating silver object at Aurochs Canyon Path, while also leaving certain things out, such as her secret business deal. A part of her conscience admittedly felt guilty about covering up the ending, but it was also her fault for not telling her classmates about it in the first place, and it was better to leave one little detail out for the sake of uniformity than having to amend four separate reports.

"And dooooone!" Morgan put the last period on the paper and leaned back in her chair in triumph. Once in that position, she took a moment to look around her room for the night.

The hotel room she and Fie were given was without a doubt smaller in size compared to the family room she shared last month in Celdic, but it made up for what it lacked in quantity with quality. There was a small chandelier in the center of the room for lights with other lamps placed on the walls, a table with four seats, an orbal record player, and a finely-carpeted floor. Morgan had also taken a moment to lie down on the bed once before, and it was without a doubt the softest bed she ever laid down on. A bit too soft for her tastes, but she wasn't going to complain.

So now that work was officially done for the day, what should she do now…

Obviously, there was only one correct answer. She grabbed a random piece of paper and started writing again. After talking with her classmates and witnessing their combat capabilities firsthand, Morgan finally had a solid grasp of what each of them did. True, she had already become acquainted with their fighting styles due to Instructor Sara's classes, but now she was able to look through the lens of practical application. Specifically, she would be looking at the three classmates she had been grouped with for the practical exam.

First on the writing block was Machias. His shotgun was rather unwieldy to use against other humans due to safety concerns, but against monsters it proved essential in blowing away defenses while also covering a wide area in front of him. According to him, his master quartz's special ability was raising his defense. Given how he was usually stationed in the back of the team formation, there was rarely a chance for him to showcase it, but it did explain how he was able to take a full tackle from the Fate Spinner and get up with no injuries whatsoever. In other words, he was a defensive wall that could counter other defensive walls.

Next was Jusis. If Morgan could describe him in one word, it would be "balanced." He was skilled in swordplay, so he had no issues with enemies up close. One would think that such a boon would indicate he was challenged at longer ranges, but in contrast to Rean and Laura, Jusis used his ARCUS more frequently, so he wasn't completely helpless. According to him, his usage of arts was to make the most of his master quartz's innate ability, which was increasing the potency of offensive arts at the start of every battle. In short, he was a jack-of-all-trades who was able to cover a variety of areas, though designated specialists in those specific areas will still outperform him in certain ways to compensate.

Finally, there was Fie. On the outset, she should have been the easiest to figure out. She was really fast, but she also had little to no defensive options. Her master quartz, according to her, had the added bonus of increasing her overall agility. That information alone should have been enough to classify her as a flanker of sorts and call it a day, but Morgan hesitated. It was difficult to simply hand someone a role when their capabilities had yet to be fully explored, and in Fie's case, she showcased an entirely different level of combat proficiency during the skirmish against the Fate Spinner than she did during class. Not to say that she wasn't proficient before, but after Morgan rewatched that final performance in her head, everything started to click. Her nimble acrobatics, the way she fired her gunswords conservatively yet efficiently, her uncanny ability to cloak her presence and attack when least expected, and, most importantly, the fact that Morgan never recalled the two of them ever forming an ARCUS link during their united onslaught. Being able to pair up and work together seamlessly without the assistance of technology was not unimaginable, but it was difficult to perform without actual combat experience.

Thus, all the facts were able to add up to one theory: Fie Claussell was holding back.

And as much as Morgan was reluctant to admit it, it took one to know one.

To summarize, there were some details about Fie that were obvious, such as her build denoting that she couldn't take many hits. Everything else, however, was variable. How fast was Fie really? How much of her agility was due to the ARCUS and how much was her own talent? What other things did she know how to do, and to what degree? Morgan would have asked the silver-haired girl sooner, but as previous experience showed, getting her to talk wasn't easy.

The bathroom door opened as Morgan was deep in thought.

"Still writing your report?" asked Fie.

"Already finished, actually," Morgan corrected. "I've been jotting down some-" She had to stop momentarily when she noticed that her classmate's hair was still wet. "Fie! Did you even dry yourself properly?"

She shrugged. "Just enough."

Morgan made a buzzing sound. "Bzzzt! Wrong answer! Give me that towel!"

Morgan got up from her chair and tried to tackle the younger girl, but Fie had already moved out of the way, dropping only her towel. The two girls began playing a game of cat-and-mouse, with Morgan the cat and trying to capture Fie the mouse. Morgan had to hand it to Fie; her reaction speed was top-notch, and no matter what feints Morgan would try to throw in to mix up her approach, Fie would always be able to sidestep out of the way.

After a few repetitions, Morgan decided to be crafty. Noticing Fie's dropped towel on the floor, she reached out to grab it. Immediately after, she stepped in one direction while throwing the towel in the opposite direction. Fie dodged Morgan's advance as expected, but she failed to notice the towel until it landed straight on her face. Before Fie could comprehend what had just happened, Morgan switched her momentum and pounced towards her classmate, successfully pinning her to her bed.

"Ha! That's checkmate!"

Fie attempted to squirm her way out, but she wasn't strong enough pry off Morgan's arms. "Are you...crazy?"

"Crazy as crazy gets!" Morgan retorted. "Now dry your hair! Wouldn't want you catching a cold."

Fie sighed in defeat. "Okay, I give. Just...let go. Now."

Morgan released her hold and rolled onto her back. "Whew! Haven't had this much fun in a while."

"This is your idea of fun?" Fie questioned as she dried her hair with her towel.

"You say that, but…" Morgan looked over to her. "I could tell you were getting into it."

Fie stopped drying her hair momentarily before resuming. "A bit," she quietly admitted.

With no better time than now, Morgan decided to stop beating around the issue. "You're really something, Fie, you know that? You're only fifteen, and yet your skills are already top-notch. But that begs the question…" Morgan sat up. "Where did you learn how to fight?"

Fie put down her towel, an unamused look on her face. "Should've known you'd lead into that question."

"Hey, it had to happen eventually," Morgan reasoned. "You hardly ever pay attention in class, so there must have been some reason you were admitted into Thors. I had my suspicions occasionally, but that fight against the quest monster earlier today was what got me thinking. We worked together to take down that thing, and if memory serves correctly, we didn't even need the ARCUS links. I'm not saying I want you tell me all your secrets, but if we were able to achieve that level of teamwork when we barely even interacted before…"

"We made breakfast together," Fie pointed out. "You forgot already?"

Morgan waved her hand. "Well, that's besides the point. Basically, what I'm saying is that your level of expertise had to come from somewhere."

There was a brief moment of pause where neither girl said anything.

"If that's the case, then I've been wondering something about you, too," Fie finally said.

"You do?"

Fie nodded. "Mind if I come closer for a bit?"

Without even bothering for an answer, Fie crept closer to Morgan like a cat inching closer to its prey. As the younger girl's face drifted closer to hers, Fie raised her hand, bristling Morgan's cheek…

...And traced it along the scar that ran diagonally up her face.

"Looks like a pretty big cut," Fie observed. "It's faded out a bit, but it's still plenty visible. The fact that it's still there means it's probably gonna stick."

"So you're wondering where I got this from, huh?" Morgan guessed.

"Actually, now that I've gotten a good look, I think I have a good idea."

"Oh?"

Fie finally leaned away. "Judging from the size and angle, it must've been something quick and sharp. It looks too clean for a monster, so probably some sort of blade, but it's too big for a knife, and anything bigger than a greatsword would've done damage to other areas. That leaves two possibilities: either you got into a really bad fencing accident or…" Fie paused for a moment to take a breath. "You got that from a real fight. Not just a sparring duel; a fight to the death."

Morgan was taken aback by the younger girl's perception. "You're pretty sharp. That's exactly what happened."

Fie snorted, to which Morgan realized she let out an unintentional pun. "That wasn't intentional."

"I'll say," Fie drily retorted. "How long has that been there?"

"I'd say about…" Morgan had to think for a moment. "Two or three years, give or take?"

"That's pretty recent," Fie remarked. "I guess that also explains why you dodge instead of block."

"How so?"

"Surviving a blow to the face rarely ever stops at physical damage," Fie explained. "Outside of non-lethal sparring, at least. Whatever gave you that must've left some sort of impression that you haven't recovered from yet, so you're still not used to confronting things head-on."

"Actually, that's just how I've always fought," Morgan corrected. "Defense was never my strongest suit, but I was pretty quick on my feet to compensate, so I focused more on outmaneuvering than outlasting. Although…" Morgan looked to her right hand. "There was a period in my life where I couldn't even pick up a sword without dropping it, so maybe you've got a point."

"Were you ever part of a corps?" asked Fie.

"Corps?" Morgan repeated. "You mean, like a jaeger corps?"

The silver-haired girl nodded.

Even Morgan knew what jaegers were. Among all the mercenary outfits on the Zemurian continent, jaegers were undoubtedly the most feared for the lengths they would go to wreak havoc so long as they were paid. Just two years ago, the Bracer Guild houses in Heimdallr were attacked by the Jester jaeger corps, launching a string of consecutive attacks in six imperial cities that lead to the eventual closing of the Bracer Guild in a majority of the empire.

"No," Morgan answered, "but I did have to fight other humans. And you?"

Fie readjusted her sitting position. "Before I came to the academy, I was a jaeger. That's where I learned how to use my gunswords, among other things."

Morgan should have felt surprised, but given everything else Fie had said earlier, it seemed only like natural progression. "You mind if I ask for the name?"

"Zephyr," Fie replied. "We aren't related to Jester, if that's what you're wondering. We heard about their operation on the imperial guilds, but we didn't play a part in it."

"How long were you in the corps?" Morgan felt that so long as they were in the mood, they could keep the conversation running.

"About as long as I can remember." Fie looked up wistfully. "The boss, we called him the Jaeger King...he took me in at a young age. Everyone else was all nice to me, despite their quirks."

"The Jaeger King?" Morgan was amused by the name. "What did that make you, the Jaeger Princess?"

"That wouldn't come until later," she semi-confirmed. "I followed them for a few years until I fought my first real battle at around...ten, I think. Became a full-fledged member of the group soon after."

"Ten?!" Morgan was slightly shocked. "And they were okay with that?"

"The boss was reluctant," Fie admitted, "but the others persuaded him. To be honest, it actually made me feel closer than ever to them. They may have been mercenaries, but they were the closest thing I had to a family." Her gaze lowered. "At least, until…"

"Until…?"

The silver-haired girl shook her head. "Let's just say there's a reason why I'm here by myself and not with Zephyr."

"Fie…" Morgan could probably hazard a guess as to what happened. There were a lot of ways mercenary groups ended, some possibilities better than others. However, it looked to be a touchy subject for the now-former jaeger, so Morgan decided not to pry further. Instead, she simply wrapped her arms around the younger girl, and this time, Fie made no attempts to prevent her gesture. "You've been through a lot, haven't you?"

"That's saying something, coming from you."

"And how much DO you know about me?" Morgan wondered. "I'm all ears, Detective Fie."

Fie hummed for moment. "I think you're really, really nosy."

Morgan snorted. "I prefer the term 'shamelessly self-driven'!" To drill the term in the younger girl's head, she changed her grip and started rubbing her fist on her hair. "Come on! Say it with me! Shamelessly. Self. Driven!"

Fie groaned. "Shamelessly...driving...self...nuts!"

Morgan was laughing too much at the younger girl's reactions to care, so she let her go. "Close enough."

"It's funny." Fie rubbed her head. "I've never told anyone this much about me before."

"I can't blame you. Jaegers are basically synonymous with the Grim Reaper. If everyone else found out they were sharing a class with one…" Morgan found herself shuddering at the thought. Rean coming out as a noble was one thing, but a former hired gun as a classmate? That definitely wouldn't sit well with others.

Fie tilted her head quizzically. "Me? A reaper?"

Her voice brought Morgan back to reality. "Sorry, I didn't mean to call you that."

"No, actually…" Fie tucked her legs in. "It's pretty fitting."

"Let me tell you one thing: when I look at you, I don't see a reaper. I see a girl who would fight for her family no matter what. That takes dedication." Morgan placed a hand on her chest. "If it makes you feel better, it takes one to know one."

"It doesn't," she bluntly replied, "but at least I'm not the only _auslander_ here."

"Ous-lander?"

"Jaeger talk," she explained. "That's our word for jaegers stationed in other countries, but it basically means 'outsider.' They're people who have something that keeps them from fitting in with everyone else, so they stay on the outside. People like us."

"Outsiders…" Morgan mused. "Well, I can't deny that. Compared to other Erebonians, we're sort of like the irregulars. But you know…" She grazed the small of her back. "I don't think that means we can't try to at least understand them a little. You might learn a thing or two from them."

"Even if they'll never accept you?" Fie's eyes seemed to be filled with skepticism.

"I've found that acceptance isn't something you can just get," Morgan argued. "It's something you earn through trust, and trust is gained gradually over time. You need to give people a reason to trust you, but you also need to learn how to trust others. It goes both ways."

She held out her hand. "If you want, we can start trying now. What do you say, fellow _auslander_?"

Fie just sat there in silence, almost stunned by her behavior.

And then she laughed. It wasn't forced or sarcastic; just one genuine, honest laugh.

"What an insanely corny speech," Fie finally said, still smirking. "You could give Sara a run for her mira."

Morgan understandably pouted. "Hey, I was trying to help!"

"Like I said: really nosy." Fie flashed her usual sarcastic grin.

"Fiiieee!"

Despite Morgan's protests, Fie simply pulled the bed covers over herself and plugged her ears with her fingers. Deep down, however, she felt relieved. Even if this life was different from everything she had experienced up to that point, at least she had found someone like herself. Even if she couldn't figure out everything about that person yet, at least that person was willing to give her a chance. Even if that person was admittedly rather nosy, at least she wouldn't have to be too alone in her troubles moving forward.

And that, as Sara would have put it, was a step in the right direction.

* * *

 **Author's note: As you may have noticed, the insert songs are back, and this time** **I'm trying out a new format by using shorthand code instead of writing a full sentence. This way, the action of the scene won't be halted by a break in-between sentences saying that a certain song is playing at this exact moment, the people who don't care for the insert songs can simply skim them over, and the few people who do can have the songs ready by the time they appear in the story proper. I know that this is basically an unnecessary add-on and it would save space to do away with them completely, but seeing as how fanfiction basically revolves around adding our own unnecessary things to completed works, I figured I may as well run with it.  
Aside from that, I'm surprised at how long this chapter ended up being. I know I said that this chapter would be slow compared to the previous one, but I hope I didn't bore you. If I did...well, I suppose I'll have to work on my succinctness. ****(-∧-；)**


	20. May 30th - Field Study Day 2, Pt 1

" _I may as well be blunt: Why is it that you don't ever smile around others?"_

 _The girl sitting across from him wore a guarded expression. "Is there a...an issue?"_

" _You act atypically of girls around your age," he explained. "You actively try to avoid conversation and only speak when spoken to, and even when you speak, you sometimes fumble around with your words, as you did just now. I had thought that it was just your personality, but then I saw you with your father the other day. You were smiling, conversing happily with him with no issue at all. It was at that moment that I realized something…" He clasped his hands together. "You don't actually know what you're doing, don't you?"_

 _Her guard began to falter. "How, exactly?"_

" _You weren't raised as a noble for most of your life," he deduced, "so you lack the knowledge of the inner behaviors of social etiquette. As a result, you put up a stoic facade so you don't risk revealing yourself to Lord Voltaire and put your father under scrutiny for adopting a commoner. Am I not wrong?"_

 _The girl closed her eyes, took a deep breath to calm herself, then reopened them. "I could ask the same about you."_

" _What?" He could only blink in response._

 _She squinted, all pretenses of politeness having been thrown out the window. "You're perceptive, I'll give you that, but that perception must've come from somewhere. The only reason you were able to tell was because it takes one to know one. So tell me…" She copied his hand-clasping gesture, as if to give him a taste of his own medicine. "Before you start asking a lady about her background, why don't you tell me a little bit about yours? Or have you become too accustomed to wearing your noble pride that you don't know how to take it off?"_

" _Th-That's…" Of all the responses he expected to receive, getting talked back to was not one of them. "That is none of your business!"_

" _Then my origins are none of your business as well." The girl sighed. "It's a shame. I thought that we could be kindred spirits."_

" _I...beg your pardon?"_

" _You don't look happy when you're in the presence of other nobles," she explained. "I thought it was because you hated the stuffiness, which is completely understandable, but I've also seen you playing with those children near Station Street occasionally, and…" Her expression softened a bit. "You looked very much at ease. You enjoy the commoner life far more than you should, almost as if you were returning to someplace simpler before everything was taken away from you. I'm guessing you don't have many friends among the nobility, don't you?"_

 _He slammed the table with both his hands. "As if you are any different!"_

 _The girl was taken aback by his sudden outburst. Realizing himself, he took a deep breath to calm himself. "My apologies. I did not wish to…"_

 _She raised her hand to stop him as she calmly took a sip of the tea placed in front of her. He had only noticed recently, but the subtle contortions in her face indicated that she wasn't particularly used to the fragrances of the drink yet. Was she perhaps forcing herself to drink it?_

" _I understand," she said after she set down her cup. "The world can be so cruel. In order to gain, we must also lose; nothing ever comes for free. Both of us have gained status, but we also lost something in the process."_

 _She looked around momentarily at the surrounding space. At the moment, the two of them had the entire second floor of the restaurant to themselves. "Is that why you wanted to talk with me in private? To see if what you observed was the truth?"_

 _He couldn't find it in himself to be mad at her anymore. "...You're rather perceptive yourself."_

" _You learn to pick up a few things from the streets," she replied. "So? What do you want to do now? Keep talking? I'm willing to listen."_

" _I can't believe I'm getting consoled by someone three years younger than me…" he muttered to himself._

" _You know, I remember reading in one of Ralph's books that girls mature earlier than boys. Maybe that's why things are like this?"_

" _Th-This and puberty have nothing to do with each other! Also, what sort of books are you even reading?"_

" _It also said that I should be understanding and supportive. My lord, do you think I'm doing a good job?"_

" _Don't change the subject!"_

 _She playfully sneered and stuck her tongue out. It was hard to believe that just a few moments ago, her face was so guarded. Now, she was more willing to exhibit her emotions._

 _Likewise, he had acted cold and aloof. Now, he was more willing to speak his mind freely._

 _In just a short span of time, a mutualistic relationship was formed, one between two social pariahs that were hidden in plain sight._

* * *

By the time Jusis groggily woke from his slumber, the sun had barely begun peaking over the horizon. He began to wonder if what happened last night even occurred, but one look from Rean, who was already up and dressed, was all the confirmation he needed.

"Morning," Rean greeted. "Did you sleep well?"

"Very." Jusis sat up in his bed. "How is your arm feeling?"

"Better." Rean rotated his right arm. "I checked it this morning, and the wound has closed up. I think I'm ready to rejoin the front lines today."

"Assuming we have another monster extermination request," Jusis reminded him.

"Which we do." He held up the familiar Thors envelope that Jusis surmised contained their field study tasks for the day. "The hotel manager slipped this through our door this morning. Since I was already up, I already took the liberty of looking through them. More importantly…" Rean reaches into the envelope and pulled out a white note. "There was a note attached saying that there's been a change of plans for breakfast. We are to head to Sorciere at our earliest convenience."

Jusis was mildly surprised, but at the same time, he wasn't about to complain anytime soon. He was practically raised on Sorciere's food, so a bite of nostalgia would certainly start his day in the best way possible. He immediately got out of bed and started getting himself ready.

A grumble to the right of them indicated that their last classmate had also woken up.

"Morning, Machias."

"Ugh…" Machias rubbed his eyes and reached for his glasses. "Morning, Rean. And I guess morning to you, too, Albarea."

Perhaps it was just Jusis's imagination, but Machias looked strangely out of it today. Not just because he had just woken up, but his comment towards Jusis just now had substantially less bite to it compared to yesterday. He looked to Rean for clarification, and it appeared he had the exact same thought.

No, he couldn't have…

"Oh, yeah!" Rean said. "We should let Morgan and Fie know about breakfast. I'll head over to their rooms right now."

With that, Rean left the room, leaving Machias and Jusis to themselves.

"Jusis Albarea."

"What is it, Machias Regnitz?"

Machias got out of bed and marched over to him. "I will accept no more failures," he stated. "Today, we WILL form a combat link."

Jusis had to momentarily take a moment to process what Machias had just said. "What…?"

"As much as I may dislike you," Machias began, "I'm ashamed that we were unable to do what every other member of our class has accomplished or, in Morgan and Fie's case, surpassed. By the end of today, we will make up for what happened to Rean. What do you say?"

Jusis sighed. It seems his and Rean's suspicions were correct after all; why else would Regnitz act so cordially all of a sudden? "You really are simple-minded, aren't you?" he said. "I suppose you overheard our conversation last night and feel some kind of affinity toward me now?"

"N-Nonsense! I did no such thing!" Machias refuted. "I was fast asleep while you yammered on about your family and Rean and…" Upon noticing himself, Machias put his hand over his mouth.

"I suppose now is a better time than ever," Jusis decided. "We ARE going to see Hammond, after all."

Machias blinked. "Beg your pardon?"

"If you did listen to us last night, then you would understand why. It's best to just get it over with now." Jusis briefly looked in the mirror to straighten his tie. "But in regards to your proposal, I accept. I'll be happy to show you what a proper combat link looks like."

"H-Hah! We'll see about that!" Machias straightened his glasses by the bridge. "Fortunately, I have more than enough generosity of spirit to endure being paired with an arrogant noble like you!"

Jusis snorted, amused. "Not while you're wearing that, I hope."

Machias looked down at his nightclothes and growled. "Oh, you little…"

The door opened at that moment, with Rean entering the room soon after.

"Ah, you're back," Jusis greeted him. "Were you able to let them know?"

Rean scratched his cheek. "Let's just say they'll be running a bit...late."

From further down the hallway, the boys could hear two muffled female voices.

"Wake up, Fie! The sun has risen, so you should too!"

"What do you want me to do? Photosynthesis?"

A bead of uneasy sweat collectively dropped from each male's forehead.

"Maybe we should let them be for a few minutes…" Rean suggested.

Both Jusis and Machias nodded their heads. "Agreed."

* * *

After five minutes or so, the girls finally emerged from their room dressed and ready to go for the day, though it was clear that they had quite the scuffle in the process. Fie's tie managed to look even _more_ unkempt than it usually did, and Morgan amusedly had a small cowlick in the center of her head that was curving upwards.

"Don't ask," Morgan said.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Rean replied.

The students exited the hotel and walked across the central plaza to Sorciere. The sign by the door indicated that the restaurant wouldn't be open for another few hours for weekend brunch, but the students paid it no mind and simply walked in. Seeing the restaurant that had been so lively the night before devoid of any customers was a jarring sight to say the least.

Group A made their way to the far end of the dining floor, where a tall mustached man with a chef's hat was expecting them. He also had name tag pinned to his uniform that read "Hammond."

Hammond bowed at the sight of the students. "Greetings and welcome."

"We have returned, Hammond," Jusis replied, returning the gesture. "Thank you once again for the meal you prepared for us last night."

The other students likewise thanked the chef for the meal.

"I'm glad you all enjoyed it," Hammond said, smiling. "As Manager Richelieu informed you, I will be taking care of your morning meal today. I shall begin preparing your dish immediately, so feel free to take a seat anywhere."

"Does that mean we can use the second floor?" Morgan wondered aloud.

"Unfortunately, that won't do," Jusis denied. "The second floor is reserved for nobles, immediate relatives, and others of similar status only. Rean and I are the only ones here qualified to use it."

"Even though I'm adopted?" Rean asked.

"Even though my immediate father is the governor of Heimdallr?" Machias reminded him.

"Even though people called me 'Little Princess' when I was younger?" Fie chimed in.

"Even though I'm a descendant of foreign royalty?" Morgan added blatantly.

"There is a point where we needed to stop and we have clearly passed it." Jusis was unamused by his classmates' antics.

"Agreed," Hammond cut in. "So please; feel free to use the second floor."

Jusis turned in surprise. "Hammond?"

The owner smirked at Lord Jusis. "With all due respect, Lord Jusis, I AM the current owner of this establishment, and whatever I say goes. There isn't anyone else present, as you can observe, so for the moment, we can afford to keep playing along and see what happens."

Jusis sighed. "Very well, then. With your graciousness, we will occupy one of the tables on the second floor."

"Wonderful." Hammond clapped his hands together. "I will bring your food to you shortly." With that, he disappeared behind the kitchen doors.

The students went up the stairs to the second floor of Sorciere. Just as Jusis had indicated earlier, the second floor seemed tailor-made for nobles and other important people. Most of the tables were smaller but fancier and more spread out, there was small foliage growing for visual pleasure, and there was even a piano in the back for live music.

"It's nice that he let us use this space," Morgan commented as she sat down. "I'm surprised you went along with him."

"I reckon he recognized the downsides of going against the majority," Jusis groaned. "I do hope you all are content with yourselves."

"The view from here is pretty nice." Fie looked across the railings at the view of the entire restaurant. It didn't leave too much of an impact since there were no current occupants, but during business hours, it definitely would have been a sight to see the space bustling with life.

While his classmates looked towards the first floor, Jusis's gaze wandered to a certain table near the far corner of the second floor. It was smaller than the other tables, only able to sit two people, but it also provided just enough space between the two ends of the tabletop for a plate of food and a cup of tea.

" _Have you become too accustomed to wearing your noble pride that you don't know how to take it off?"_

Even now, Jusis still couldn't find an answer to that question. It was difficult to simply take off something as vague a concept as "noble pride" when he didn't even know what it meant to him outside of "bringing honor to the family name." That was one of the foremost reasons why he applied to Thors and ultimately went along with the Class VII project; he hoped that by spending time away from his hometown and doing some soul-searching amongst other like-minded students, he would be able to find his own pride in being part of the elite. Unfortunately, no matter where he went, he was always singled out by account of his name. Jusis knew he was much more than just the second son of House Albarea, but when it came to getting that point across to others...well, some things were easier said than done.

"...what do you think, Jusis?"

Jusis snapped back to reality at the sound of his name. "My apologies. I was thinking to myself. What were we talking about?"

"We were talking about Morgan's comment earlier," Rean said. "About being a 'descendant of foreign royalty.'"

"I told you, I was just following the trend!" Morgan insisted. "I mean, that would totally be amazing if that were the case, I'll admit."

"That still doesn't explain how you were able to say that with a straight face," Machias pointed out.

"Smells fishy." Fie pinched her nose to prove her point.

"Even if Daraen was telling the truth," Jusis spoke, "there's no way to verify without asking the royal families of other countries to provide genetic samples, and they would almost certainly never agree to that."

"Thank you!" Morgan pointed both his hands at him.

"But even still…" Jusis raised his index finger, indicating he wasn't finished yet. "Claiming that you are royalty, even as a joke, can be considered a serious offense. As a member of the Four Great Houses, I'm afraid I can't let this one slide. So are you or are you not?"

"Well…" Morgan tugged at her collar. "My mother may or may not have been a descendant of a legendary hero-king…but hey! We don't have any way to confirm that or anything! Besides, it's not like I'm suddenly a different person now; I'm still the same old Morgan!"

"I acknowledge your persistence in the art of equivocation…" Jusis admitted. "Even if your attempts at lying are subpar at best."

The black-haired girl tilted her head quizzically. "Oh, I've never been great at telling lies."

Machias started ruffling his hair. "Come on! Which is it?"

A low chuckle came from the stairs. "Hehe. Already so lively in the morning, are we?"

The students directed their attention to Hammond, who was carrying a small foldable table and a large platter with five bowls containing soup and one bread basket on it.

As impressive as the chef looked, however, it was the smell of the dish that caught Jusis's attention. It had been ages since he last whiffed that scent.

"Here is your morning meal." Hammond set down the foldable table and put the large platter down on top of it. He handed each student a bowl of soup and placed the bread basket in the middle of the table.

"This is called Deluxe Herb Chowder," Hammond said, "paired with our fresh bread, all made in-house. Enjoy."

"So THIS is the deluxe herb chowder," Morgan remarked. "I've heard about it."

"You have?" Hammond raised an eyebrow. "Color me surprised. The dish isn't even on our menu. In fact, it's only reserved for certain occasions where we have special guests over for supper." He knowingly glanced towards Jusis as he said that, to which the younger Albarea tried not to make contact.

"Special guests…?" Morgan started mumbling to herself. "So how did...she must've heard it from someone else."

The students began eating shortly after. Despite the chowder's rich appearance, the broth was light and complemented well with the abundance of chopped vegetables placed throughout the dish. The bread also had the perfect balance between soft dough and crunchy crust, and dipping it into the soup only made it taste better.

"It's delicious," Rean commented. "If I may ask, how did you make this?"

"The cooking process isn't too difficult, but there are two ingredients that make the gathering process a bit challenging," Hammond answered. "The first is a healing herb used by the Septian Church to synthesize medicine. I use that as a base for the broth before adding the second ingredient, which is five pieces of Globby Fat."

"Globby Fat?" Morgan repeated. "But wait, doesn't that usually come from…"

"Monsters," Fie finished. "Like the ones you can find on the highway."

Machias coughed. "Monster parts in soup? Why would you do that?"

"Is that really so surprising, Regnitz?" Jusis raised an eyebrow. "Monster parts have been a staple ingredient in medicine since the beginning of time. When paired with the herb, the fat dissolves and gives the liquid its rich appearance. Furthermore, any harmful components from the fat are neutralized by the herb's rejuvenating properties, so it's perfectly consumable."

The other students were surprised that Jusis, of all people, was the one to deliver such information.

Noticing his classmates' stares, Jusis cleared his throat. "It's a common substitute for dairy. Every resident of Bareahard knows about it."

"Well, monster parts or no monster parts," Morgan spoke, "I wouldn't mind having some of this if I caught a cold."

"I suppose." Machias straightened his glasses. "Being able to combine different ingredients to make something delicious is the hallmark of any great chef. Something like this must not have come easy." He looked to Hammond. "I apologize for my outburst; you have my compliments for creating this dish."

The chef chuckled lowly. "There's no need to apologize. However, I must correct you on one part. By all technicalities, this isn't my recipe."

"It isn't?" Fie asked.

Hammond nodded. "The one who created this dish was none other than my sister herself...in other words, Lord Jusis's mother."

Rean and Machias, having already known, only nodded in understanding. Morgan and Fie, on the other hand, were very surprised.

"Wait, sister?" Morgan pointed to Hammond, then to Jusis. "So, you're his…?"

Fie squinted and pointed two fingers at Rean and Machias. "You two already knew?"

"Oh, oops," Rean gulped. "We didn't tell you two about that, did we?"

Hammond looked to Jusis with a crestfallen expression. "I am so sorry. I was under the impression that you already told all of them."

"It's fine." Jusis shook his head. "It was about time to tell everyone anyways. Thank you for your concern, though…Uncle."

He looked to each of his classmates and began to talk. "It's true. My brother and I have different mothers. He was born of my father's legal wife, a noble who still lives to this day. My own mother, however, was a commoner. In other words, I am my father's bastard son.

"Initially, my mother raised me by herself. She was busy most of the time, being a single mother, and she frequently assisted this restaurant during its early years. However, she always had me at the forefront of her mind. When I fell ill once as a child, she set out to create a dish that was easily digestible like medicine but with none of the bitter flavors, and thus this dish was the outcome. That was over eight years ago, before she eventually passed away.

"After that, my father took me in. Whether it was because of my mother or because he didn't want a scandal, I can't say, but he made sure that I never forgot my place among the noble elite. I was raised as a noble from that point onwards, and the rest, as they say, is history."

Jusis took a deep breath afterwards. This wasn't the first time he disclosed this information to other people, nor would this likely be the last, but it was always a difficult subject for him to talk about.

Silence hung in the air for a few moments longer until it was broken unceremoniously by the crackle of bread.

Fie handed Morgan one half of the small loaf. "Guess we've all got our problems, huh?"

Morgan hummed as she nodded. "Hear, hear, Little Princess."

Machias's eyebrow twitched as the two females dipped their bread halves into their soup in unison. "Can the two of you at least...try to read the mood?"

"How else am I supposed to react?" Morgan asked. "I grieve for your mother, don't get me wrong, and it sounded like she was an amazing woman. But at least she left us something to remember her by, and that's all we can ask for." She raised her bread loaf like a glass, the top covered in chowder. "To Jusis's mother."

"I'll drink to that." Fie raised her loaf, which was similarly topped with chowder. The two females clinked their bread halves together and took a bite.

Machias put his palm to his face and sighed. "You're not supposed to say that when you're eating…"

Rean couldn't help but give an amused laugh.

"It warms my heart to see that you've been blessed with many friends, Lord Jusis," Hammond said to Jusis, also chuckling. "I'm certain your mother is thinking the same."

"They aren't my friends," Jusis insisted. 'But I suppose this isn't so bad…'

As Jusis moved to finish his chowder, the sound of Sorciere's doors opening was heard, followed by a voice that called out, "Lord Jusis? Where are you?"

Alerted at the sound of his name, Jusis stood up and looked over the railings of the second floor. Standing by the entrance was Arnauld, the Albarea family's head butler.

"Is that you, Arnauld? Please give me one moment." Jusis hastily wiped his mouth and went down the stairs, with his classmates and Hammond following him.

"I'm terribly sorry to interrupt your morning meal," Arnauld apologized. "However, I have come today in the capacity of an escort."

"An escort?" Jusis raised his eyebrow. "I'm sure you must be aware that I returned to Bareahard purely as part of a field study for my academy work."

"But of course," the butler responded. "However, His Grace has directly requested that I escort you to the mansion, so I would be most appreciative if you'd accompany me without delay."

"F-Father did…?" That surprised Jusis, partly because it was his father who issued the request but mostly because his behavior yesterday denoted that he didn't desire his company in the slightest.

Then again, his father did say that he would be contacted if anything was required of him…

"Go with him."

Jusis turned to the direction of a certain bespectacled teenager.

"We can attempt to form a combat link another time," Machias said. "It would be a shame to come all the way to your hometown and not visit your own manor, correct?"

For once, Machias had managed to say that in a way that didn't sound abrasive.

"We'll be able to handle the morning's tasks just fine on our own," Rean followed up. "Don't worry about us."

"Agreed." Fie nodded her head.

"Go have fun with your dad!" Morgan gave a thumbs up.

"Even you lot…" Jusis tried to find words of protest but couldn't. "Very well. But to be on the safe side, I'll return this afternoon. Though I will worry as to how you'll fare without me, I know you'll at least give it your best."

Machias snorted. "Of course we will."

"Then let's all meet back in the hotel lobby around noon," Rean finalized. "If something comes up, just leave a message at the front desk."

"Understood." Jusis turned to Hammond and bowed. "Thank you again for the meal, Hammond. It was delicious, as always."

"The pleasure is all mine." Hammond returned the gesture. "Take care, Lord Jusis."

With that, Jusis followed Arnauld out of the restaurant and towards the Albarea family car that was parked by the curb. After being seated in, Arnauld drove Jusis to the Albarea mansion.

Of all the houses in the Noble District, the Albarea mansion was notable for being separated from the main road by a gate and guarded by two provincial officers. As the limousine drew near, the guards saluted and pulled levers on either side to open the gate. The car drove further in and parked at the entrance to the mansion. It was by and far the largest and most imposing house in the district, as deserving of one of the Four Great Houses, but to Jusis, it was home. A home with tall ceilings, hollow halls, and servants at every corner waiting to attend his needs.

Jusis was escorted from the car by Arnauld to the front entrance, where two servants were waiting. They bowed in respect to their lord and opened the doors.

As soon as he set foot in the mansion, however, Jusis could tell that something was wrong. Where he had expected to find his father waiting for his return, there were instead a row of provincial army soldiers.

"Lord Jusis," the commanding officer greeted with a salute. "We have been expecting you."

The doors closed ominously behind Jusis. He turned to Arnauld, who was looking away with a dejected expression.

"By the orders of Duke Albarea…" The commanding officer raised his hand, giving his men the order to encircle Jusis. "You are hereby placed under house arrest. Come quietly with us, if you know what's good for you."

Jusis blinked. "...What?!"

* * *

After Jusis left, Rean went over the field study tasks for the morning. First on their list was another request from Aurochs Fort, although instead of monsters, it was an escort mission. Two men by the names of Anton and Ricky had been picked up by the provincial army soldiers on their way back from attempting and failing to locate yesterday's intruder. As it turns out, the two men were on their way to Bareahard when they were surrounded by monsters, at which point they ran all the way to Aurochs Fort. Since they hadn't made a reservation at a nearby hotel, they were instead offered to stay overnight at the fort for convenience's sake.

"Sounds like a pain," Fie commented. "How come they couldn't just drive them over themselves?"

"Apparently, they took all the cars to try and find that intruder," Machias said, reading the request further. "Everyone else was already stationed in other areas for the day."

"So they just leave it to a bunch of students?" Fie snorted. "That's dumb."

"Dumb or not, we don't have any reason to refuse," Rean replied. "Looks like we're going back to Aurochs Canyon again."

The students began their long trek through the canyon and towards the fort. A few aggressive monsters blocked their path, including a Zwordar, one of the monsters Rean and Morgan had encountered in Celdic. Fortunately, with Machias and Fie using their firearms to keep it from flying away, the students had an easier time in taking it down.

Group A finally arrived at Aurochs Fort to pick up Anton and Ricky and escorted them back to Bareahard. It took longer than expected, as Anton would frequently take stops to enjoy the scenery and whatnot, so Group A had to constantly be on the lookout for any monsters that could blindside them. Ricky also revealed that they were currently travelling around Erebonia and were visitors from Liberl, a country south of the empire. After their safe arrival in Bareahard, the pair rewarded the students with something they purchased in Crossbell: a plushy of the Crossbell mascot Mishy that Rean and Morgan figured Laura would greatly appreciate.

With that, the students moved on to their second and final task, which was a monster extermination request from the manager of the hotel they were staying at. After conferring with the manager about the location and description of the monster, the students moved to the North Kreuzen Highway, where they found it lurking near the far end of the road.

"That's definitely it," Rean observed from a distance.

"He wasn't kidding when he said it was a 'Venus Man-trap,'" Morgan remarked.

Indeed, the best way the monster could be described was a venus flytrap, except it was as large as an automobile and had three heads instead of one. It also walked around on four legs and had wild foliage growing off of its body.

"I don't doubt that it could swallow a human whole," Machias said, shuddering. "If that thing gets near any of us, we're done for."

"So just don't get hit," Fie suggested.

"Easier said than done, Fie."

"It's still a plant," Morgan pointed out, "so it should be susceptible to fire. That's actually perfect for us; Rean and I have fire arts, Machias and Fie have firearms. Assuming that it isn't the maneuverable type, we can all keep it in one position without having to go near it."

"And if it does charge at us?" Machias asked.

"Then, as Fie said, don't get hit. We all have our ways of damaging it from a distance, so we should try to maintain that as much as possible. But just to be on the safe side…"

Morgan brought out her ARCUS and began casting an art. "Crest." She held her orbment in Rean's direction, causing a brown, earthly glow to surround him. She then proceeded to do the same for herself and Fie. "I've used an art that raises our defense temporarily. Wouldn't want a repeat of last time."

Machias raised his hand. "Wait, you forgot about me."

Morgan pointed to Machias's ARCUS, located in his pocket. "Your master quartz's special ability already increases your defense, so I don't need to. Besides, I need to conserve my energy points."

Machias blinked. "Oh, yeah. Right."

"Can't believe you forgot about your own quartz."

"Be quiet, Fie."

Rean cleared his throat. "Okay. Are we ready?"

The students nodded.

"Then let's get into formation."

The four students created two pairs of ARCUS links, one between Rean and Machias, another between Morgan and Fie. Rean and Morgan began preparing their fire arts, and upon a successful casting, Machias and Fie jumped forward to ambush the monster with their firearms. Fortunately for the students, the Venus Man-Trap was not as maneuverable compared to yesterday's monster, so they had plenty of time to move out of harm's way. From there, it was a matter of attacking from afar, attracting the monster's attention, and avoid its predictable attack patterns.

However, progress was slow. Though the students were doing damage, the monster made up for its sluggish movement with durability. As it currently was, the students would inevitably run out of resources for their long-range attacks, so they needed to find a way to get up close without having their heads bitten off by the monstrous plant's jaws.

At that moment, Morgan looked to Fie. "You trust me, right?"

Fie nodded and said, " _Ja_."

Last night, Fie had taught her a few of the common terminologies used by jaegers for fun. Morgan wouldn't consider herself an expert at jaeger language quite yet, but she did know that " _Ja_ " was their word for "Yes".

Morgan put away her ARCUS and retrieved her personal orbment from her pouch. "Then get ready to jump!"

Morgan began to focus her mind on her own orbment rather than her ARCUS, and in doing so, the link between Fie and her broke. Because Morgan could only synchronize with one orbment at a time, it meant that the orbment that wasn't being used would return to a standby state that used minimal energy. This lack of energy reduced a number of key functions, which, in the case of the ARCUS, included the ability to link. It was a risky move, but in return, it allowed for the pursuit of a greater reward.

She began preparing a simple wind art, Air Strike. Right before her art was finished, she slid it across the ground so that it landed at Fie's feet. "Now!"

Just as Fie's feet left the ground, the orbment fired a burst of compressed air at the ground, causing a small gust that pushed Fie even more skyward. The sudden shift in momentum shocked the younger girl, but in the process, she was now positioned right above the monster's body. Now understanding what she needed to do, Fie performed a flip and landed on the monster. Before its heads could turn to see what had just landed on its back, Fie stabbed her weapons at the base of their necks and pulled the trigger with each stab. One, two, three. The monstrous plant shrieked as Fie leapt off of it and back to solid ground.

With the monster agitated, Machias made his move. Taking aim, the green lights on the receiver of his shotgun whirred to life. He pulled the trigger, firing a high-speed bullet that blew off one of the plant's heads.

"Flames, gather on my blade!" Rean had taken the opportunity to prepare his ultimate technique. With his tachi wreathed in fire, he dashed forward, cutting off the monster's remaining heads before sealing its fate with a final overhead slash. The Venus Man-trap's smoldering body dissipated into the wind soon after.

"Whoo! Now that's what I'm talking about!" Morgan cheered.

"Guess that means we've redeemed ourselves," Fie agreed.

Machias had an elated look on his face. His strength gave out, and he slumped to the ground.

"M-Machias?" Rean sheathed his weapon and ran over to his teammate.

"Don't worry about me," Machias said, panting. "I'm just glad I didn't drag you all down this time. Especially you, Rean. I owe you double the apology." Then, to everyone's surprise, he bent over and prostrated before him. "I'M SORRY! PLEASE FORGIVE ME!"

"It's all right, Machias. Don't worry about it!" Rean knelt down to face him. "If I'd just told you I was a noble from the start, all of this could have been avoided. So if anything, I should be the one apologizing for misleading you."

Machias got up. "No, I insist…"

"Boys, boys…" Morgan tried to use her best authoritative voice to address them, but was stopped short by Fie lightly kicking her leg. "Ow! Fie, what was that for?"

"For using that art on me," Fie replied. "Have I mentioned that you're crazy yet?"

"Well, it was crazy enough to work, right?" Morgan shrugged. "I had complete faith in your capabilities."

"I'm not sure if I have faith in you anymore."

"Fiiieee!"

Fie wore a small smirk on her face, which likely meant that she was kidding for the most part, but regardless Morgan started to chase her around the small area where they had fought the monster. Meanwhile, Rean and Machias laughed together for what was probably the first time since before the first field study.

* * *

Judging from the sun's position in the sky, it was almost noon, so Group A decided it was best to head over to the hotel and hopefully meet up with Jusis. There weren't any other tasks that needed to be completed, so they had the rest of the afternoon to write their reports and relax.

Nothing else of note happened on their way back to Bareahard, not even a random monster encounter. It was when they approached the entrance to the city, however, that something significant happened. Right as they set foot into Bareahard, the students were stopped by two provincial army soldiers who ran out to meet them.

"Hold it right there!" one of them said.

"You're those students from Thors Military Academy, aren't you?" said the other. "The ones who've come for a 'field study'?"

"Yes, that's us…" Rean hesitantly replied.

"Is there some kind of problem?" questioned Morgan.

The soldiers walked over to Machias and inspected his face. "...He's a perfect match for the photo," one of them muttered.

"Huh?" Machias was understandably confused.

Before the students could ask any more questions, the other soldier pulled out a whistle and blew hardly into it. At once, four armed soldiers who were hiding behind the buildings came out to encircle the students.

"First-year student Machias Regnitz, correct?" asked the soldier with the whistle. "You're under arrest. Don't try to resist, if you know what's good for you."

Machias, Rean, Morgan, and Fie all blinked. "...WHAT?!"

* * *

 **To the readers left reviews: I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter! I hope I can continue to meet your expectations moving forward. (ง •̀ω•́)ง✧**  
 **To Warmach1ne32: The length of an insert song in respect to the length of the scene was something I didn't consider. Truth be told, it was more or less a testing ground for the new format and I simply chose the first song that came to mind. Regardless, I will definitely be sure to keep that in mind from now on. (＾ω＾)**  
 **To the Guest: I'm just as excited for the** _Cold Steel III_ **localization! I am certainly interested in the idea of rotating perspectives around the other characters, though I am still experimenting, as you can see in this chapter. As for continuing onwards, I currently have a story structure planned out that takes into account certain events that will happen in the future. That's all I'll say on the matter though. (^_-)~**


	21. May 30th - Field Study Day 2, Pt 2

**[IS]: Insert song - "Mutual Situation (Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late[st])"  
** **[ISE]: Insert song end**

* * *

"What do you mean we can't enter our rooms?!"

"I-It is just as I said," the hotel manager explained to Morgan. "The provincial army insisted on conducting a precautionary search as part of their investigation. I believe they'll be leaving by this evening, but I'm afraid that's all I know." He bowed in apology. "I'm terribly sorry."

One of the soldiers stationed by their rooms looked down from the second floor balcony in disdain.

"We should be the ones apologizing for the trouble," Rean replied. "At the very least, we completed your request from earlier. The one about the monster?"

"Oh, did you now? That's wonderful!" The manager adjusted his glasses. "I'll bring your quest reward to you straight away. Please wait a moment…"

The hotel manager walked to the front desk and procured a small box. Opening the box revealed an earth elemental quartz.

"Well, what do we do now?" Morgan asked Rean. "We can't exactly write our reports in these circumstances."

"It'd be awkward if we stayed," said Rean. "We should probably look for someplace else."

The doors to the hotel opened, followed by Fie running towards them.

"Any luck, Fie?" Morgan addressed the younger girl.

Fie shook her head. "Sorciere's been locked down, too. The soldiers wouldn't even let me talk to Jusis's uncle."

Rean cursed to the side. "I guess that means we're on our own. Let's find someplace else where we can discuss our next move." He glanced up to the provincial army soldiers stationed by their rooms. "Without any soldiers around."

"We just need someplace private, right?" Morgan tapped her finger to her lips. "Actually, I think I might know a place…"

Rean blinked. "You do?"

"That's a bit surprising," Fie remarked.

"Well, I can't guarantee that we can use it," Morgan admitted. "But it's worth a shot. Follow me."

With no other options, Rean and Fie followed Morgan out of the hotel.

* * *

"Of all the places in Bareahard, this is not what I was expecting," Rean said.

His comment was rather justified, for Morgan had lead them back to Turner's Jewelers on Artisans' Street.

"This is the last place anyone would expect to find us," Morgan reasoned. "They've got this room in the back for special business deals, and that's exactly what we need."

"And you know about this...how?" Fie queried.

Rean hummed. "I'm guessing this is where you went yesterday, right?"

Morgan nodded. "Got it in one. How'd you guess?"

"Jusis said he saw you head in the direction of Artisans' Street," Rean explained. "Once I remembered that, it wasn't hard to piece everything together. But you mentioned something about a business deal?"

"I'll explain later." With that, Morgan opened the door to the store. "Excuse me! Bruc? You here?"

The jeweler Group A had met yesterday turned from his cash register and recognized them. "Oh! Morgan! What brings you back here?"

"Long story, can't explain." Morgan leaned over to speak in a hushed voice. "Listen, you remember that room in the back we used yesterday? Could my classmates and I use that?"

Bruc widened his eyes and looked around them. There were only a few customers in the store at the moment, namely an elderly couple who were conversing with each other, a middle-aged man wearing a bowler hat who was talking into an orbment, and a red-haired girl wearing a similarly-colored jacket and short layered dress who was busy inspecting some jewels. None of them seemed to have heard Morgan's question.

Regardless, Bruc also leaned forward and whispered, "Mind if I ask why?"

"Because the provincial army is conducting an investigation at our hotel and they kicked us out," Morgan summarized. "Also, they may or may not have kidnapped our friends."

The jeweler stifled a gasp. Out of the corner of Morgan's eye, she noticed that this garnered the attention of the red-haired girl.

"I suppose that does explain why there's only three of you today…" Bruc looked at Rean and Fie before directing his attention back to Morgan. "But listen, the back room is where we store all our gems and display items, you know? I can't just let anyone come in and use it. If you were here for another transaction, then I'd make an exception, but I can't bring all three of you with me. Part of the rules of the trade."

Morgan's shoulders slumped. "No…"

Bruc looked remorseful. "Listen, I'd like to help you. Really, I do. You saved our hides yesterday, and we can't thank you enough. But right now, I'm like a bird in a cage; if I sing for you, I gotta sing for everyone."

"And that's perfectly understandable, too…" Morgan's shoulders slumped further downwards.

"What about the second floor?" Fie suggested. "No one's up there right now. We can use that."

"Now that, I don't have a problem with," said Bruc, pointing to Fie. "If more people do start coming up, though, I'd also recommend the bar across the street. Those two are probably your safest bets."

"At least that's better than nothing," Rean figured. "Thank you very much for this."

"Just don't cause too much of a ruckus up there, or else I might have to throw you out for loitering. Part of-"

"-the rules of the trade," Morgan finished. "Got it."

The students moved up to the second floor, where there were more jewels on display in glass cabinets. They stationed themselves in the far corner where no one would see them at first glance. Once they were all situated, they began to review all the details they knew so far.

"Okay," Rean began. "So Machias is currently being held at the provincial army guardhouse, under the charge of being the intruder that was sighted near Aurochs Fort yesterday."

"A crime he didn't commit," Fie added. "He was with us the whole time, and the soldiers stationed at the fort could attest to that."

"Maybe that's why they sent out all the cars this morning," Morgan wondered. "To prevent anyone who was on the case from speaking out on the false charges."

"So in all likelihood, the reason Machias was arrested has nothing to do with the incident at the fort yesterday." Rean cupped his chin. "My guess is that they just wanted him because his father is the Imperial governor, and a key figure in the Reformist Faction. Basically, they wanted a hostage so they could have an advantage in future negotiations."

"That does seem to be the most plausible explanation," Morgan agreed. "But since he's basically a prisoner of war, we can be sure that they wouldn't risk his safety…"

"I wouldn't be so sure," Fie interrupted. "Tensions are high on both sides. Worst case scenario, they might use the threat of violence to get what they want."

Rean grimaced. "I hate to agree with her, but that definitely seems possible at this point…"

Morgan shook her head. "Moving on to the next point, Jusis. After breakfast this morning, Jusis was called back to the Albarea mansion by his father. In the time since then, he hasn't made contact with any of us or the hotel. The soldier by the provincial army guardhouse also seemed confident that he wouldn't be rejoining us this afternoon."

"I think it's safe to say that he was called back to keep him from interfering with all this," Rean figured. "He's the only one who could have prevented the arrest in the first place."

"It looks like they've been planning all of this for a while," Fie remarked. "According to the locals, the soldiers stationed at the restaurant arrived a little after we left this morning."

"So we can't get help from his uncle." Morgan tried to think of other people they could turn to for help. "What if we contacted his brother?"

"Rufus?" Rean pondered about that. "I'm not sure if he's back from his business in the capital yet. so I don't think we can ask him for help."

"Maybe the doctor?" Fie suggested. "Raph, right?"

"Ralph," Rean corrected. "He could be someone we can talk to, but he could be anywhere in the city. The time we spend looking for him could be better spent looking for a way to get Machias out."

"Then I guess Baron Bleublanc is out of the question, too."

"You were seriously thinking about that guy?" Fie looked like she couldn't believe her ears.

"I'm just listing off everyone we met in Bareahard!" Morgan defended herself. "What's your idea?"

"Mine?" Fie proceeded to answer with no hesitation. "Easy. We just break Machias out ourselves."

Rean was a bit shocked at the younger girl's curtness. "That's a little...excessive…"

"Think about it…" Fie began. "We have a perfect chance to bust him out while he's still at the guardhouse. If they take him to the fort, we lose that chance. We won't get another."

"I can't argue with that…" Morgan commented. "We'll need to be as sneaky as possible, though. If we get caught, it has to be after Machias is out safely; if it's before that, there's no way we can talk our way out of this."

"So...no smoke grenades then."

Rean and Morgan blinked. "S...Smoke grenades?" the former asked.

"You actually carry those around with you?"

Fie shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "What fair maiden doesn't?"

Morgan immediately raised her hand. "I don't!"

"I'm not sure where to begin listing what's wrong with that statement…" As he glanced to the side, his expression suddenly turned from exasperated to stern.

"Rean, what's-"

"Shh!" Rean silenced Morgan. "Fie, you sensed it too, right?"

"Sense what?" Morgan asked, still confused.

"Someone's been eavesdropping on us," Fie answered.

Her hand instinctively gravitated towards her weapon, but Rean held out his hand to stop her. He looked to the end of the main display cabinet and said, "Whoever's behind that cabinet, please come forward. We don't plan on hurting anyone, and we won't hurt you."

There was silence for a few moments save for some chatter from the first floor. Then, a figure began to stand up from behind one of the display cabinets. It was the red-haired girl from the first floor, and she didn't appear too enthused at being found out. Her manner of dress indicated she was at least upper class, her hair was curled into pigtails, and upon closer inspection of her face, she couldn't have been any older than Fie.

"Thank you." Rean bowed his head slightly. "Now, if you can tell us who you are, we can explain ourselves…"

"You should have gone to the bar," the girl interrupted, now walking towards the students. "There may be more people, but it makes you less conspicuous." Her eyebrows furrowed. "And less susceptible to eavesdropping."

Morgan scratched her head, guilty as charged. "Ahaha…well, it seemed like a good idea at the time."

"Do you three know Jusis?"

The three students blinked at the girl's sudden question. "What?"

"Lord Jusis," she clarified. "Second son of House Albarea? Attends Thors Military Academy? Same as you three? Do you know him?"

"He's our classmate," Rean responded, "but right now, we have no way to contact him. Also, you haven't told us your-"

"Tell me this first…" the girl interjected once more. "How much do you think you trust Jusis?"

The students had to stop for a moment to process everything. They had not met this girl for even a minute and she was already asking them lots of questions instead of the other way around. However, her last question had brought up an interesting point: Jusis clearly trusted them enough to tell them about his background, but did that trust go both ways?

Morgan thought of their conversation at breakfast this morning. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that Jusis was the first of Group A to divulge his full backstory. Fie kept hers under wraps for obvious reasons, Machias had yet to explain if there was a reason for his hatred of nobles, and even Rean, straightforward and willing to help as he was, always gave off the feeling that he was worrying about something bigger than himself. Then, there was Morgan herself. She could only blame herself for speaking out of turn, but when it came to the subject of her lineage, she had constantly tried to divert attention away from herself. Was she afraid that they would just laugh at her? Was her trust in others really that shallow?

"I trust him."

Morgan's thoughts were interrupted by Rean's answer.

"Jusis told us about his family. No matter which way you look at it, that must have taken some courage on his part. If he was willing to trust us with that sort of information, then it would be a shame if we didn't return that same amount of trust."

Rean locked eyes with those of the red-haired girl's. "I'll admit, we may not be the best of friends yet, but he's still a member of Class VII, and at the very least, we have each other's backs." He glanced to Fie and Morgan. "What about you two?"

Morgan and Fie looked at each other and nodded. "What he said." "Same."

The red-haired girl exhaled. "Very well. Then I shall put my trust in you as well." She turned around to leave.

Rean tried to reach for her. "Wait, where are you-"

"You want to rescue your friend, right?" she asked. "I know a way to the guardhouse. Let me show you."

"Who are you?"

"A friend of Jusis's," she answered. "Come. We can discuss on the way there."

The red-haired girl went down the stairs in a hurry. With their only lead getting further away, the remnants of Group A decided to forgo asking questions for the time being and followed her.

* * *

"An underground waterway?"

"Yes," Jusis's friend responded. "A network of waterways lies beneath Bareahard, extending all the way from the east side of the city to the west. The original intent was to create an emergency exit for the duke's family to withdraw into during the Middle Ages, but these days it has since become denizen for monsters."

"There are monsters beneath the city?" Morgan exclaimed. "And no one's doing anything about it?"

"It was originally the bracers' duty to patrol the waterway regularly," she explained, "but after the guild closed down, that responsibility went to the provincial army. For the most part, though, they're far too proud to sully their own hands with the blood of monsters, so we can assume things have gotten worse since then…" She gave a brief snort. "As things always do when it comes to them."

A bead of uneasy sweat dropped from Rean's forehead. "That's...one way to describe them."

"I see no reason not to tell it like it is," she refuted. "The number of soldiers in the provincial army that actually do something can be counted on one hand. The entrance is down here."

Jusis's friend had led them all the way to Station Street and down a flight of stairs to where a river ran through the city. After making a U-turn at the stairs, the group made their way to the end of the waterway until they reached a locked door.

Fie drew near to the door and closed her eyes. "Mm. I can feel a breeze. Seems like it's pretty spacious."

"It does cover the span of the city, after all," Morgan recalled.

"But it's locked." Rean shook the door to prove his point. "Do you know a way to unlock this?"

"You think I don't know how to unlock it, after I've shown you the way?" She blew her bangs out of her face. "You're all dense."

"Excuse me?" Rean certainly wasn't expecting Jusis's friend to act in such a manner.

The girl moved Rean out of the way and rummaged within her jacket to pull out a small rectangular compartment that appeared to be made of metal. It had a small fastener on one side and a metal L-shaped object on the other. She then removed the metal object from the compartment, which surprised the students, before twisting the fastener to reveal a wide assortment of metal picks with different patterns.

Fie widened her eyes. "That's a jackknife lock pick! You're going to pick the lock?"

"Ah, finally," the red-haired girl drily remarked. "Someone with a bit of common sense."

Morgan leaned closer. "Where did you get something like that?"

"More importantly, where did you learn how to pick locks?" Rean was shaking his head, bewildered.

"Jusis and I frequently played here when we were younger, back when there weren't as many monsters. No one gave us a key, so we made one ourselves." About a second later, there was a clicking sound, followed by the latch coming undone. The red-haired girl pushed the doors open.

"Impressive," Fie commented. Given her background, that certainly meant something.

"You learn to pick up a few things from the streets."

Her comment surprised the students.

"Does that bother you?" she asked as she put away her lockpick.

"N-No!" Rean refuted. "It's just a bit...surprising, is all."

"Because I look like this?" She waved her hand at her clothes. "Most people are hardly what they appear at first glance; it's best if you remember that now."

Jusis's friend turned away from the door. "Well, the door's open now. If you want to rescue your friend, you should make haste."

"You're not coming with us?" asked Morgan.

"I only said that I would show you the way," she recalled. "I didn't say anything about joining your entourage. Besides, I lack the equipment to adequately do so."

It was true. As much as it would benefit them to bring Jusis's friend along, she was essentially just a civilian. There was no way to guarantee her safety if she was caught aiding in the jailbreak.

"At least tell us your name," Rean insisted. "We can't thank you enough for this."

Jusis's friend didn't respond for a moment and simply walked past Rean. Then, after two more paces, she turned around.

"My name is Lea. Lea Eros." She curtsied. "Good luck, Class VII. You'll need it."

Before the students could say any more, she turned and walked away.

"THAT was Lea?" Morgan said after their helper was out of their sight.

"So that was Ralph's daughter…" Rean muttered. "She doesn't look like him at all."

"Probably takes after her mom," Fie pointed out.

"True." Rean put a hand on his sword. "Right, let's head on in. You two ready?"

"Yeah." "Mhm."

With that, Rean, Morgan, and Fie entered the underground waterway, hoping that they didn't attract too much attention.

* * *

It was one thing to claim that a city's architecture was beautiful for the buildings on the surface level. It was another thing entirely to claim that that beauty could extend all the way below the surface. And yet, that was precisely the case with the architecture of Bareahard's underground waterway. The smell was about what one would expect from a place that hadn't been maintained properly, but that was offset by the designs of the stone walls and structures, which seemed to glisten from the damp lights coming from the orbal lamps that were scattered throughout the place.

The one thing that marred the waterways, however, was the abundance of monsters that had made the underground their home. There were white-colored flying felines, similar to the ones Class VII had encountered in the Old Schoolhouse; large insects with stone-hard carapaces that secreted foul-smelling fluids; and light-blue colored slimes that were difficult to catch. Rean, Morgan, and Fie had to tread carefully, only engaging with the enemy if there was no other way to move onward. Well, they could have tried jumping into the water and swimming the rest of the way, but none of the students were willing to risk getting themselves wet, regardless of how clear the water looked.

As they proceeded westward in the direction of the provincial army's guardhouse, the students suddenly came to a halt when they heard a sound that didn't come from them.

"What was that?" asked Morgan.

"It sounded like…" Rean paused to listen. "Steel?"

Fie grabbed both of her gunswords. "There's something going on up ahead. A group of monsters, and they're engaging with...something."

Rean unsheathed his tachi. "Guess there's only one way to find out."

The students ran towards the direction of the clanging sound. Eventually, they came across a group of insectoid monsters, just as Fie had deduced, and right in the center of the enemy mob was a familiar face.

"Jusis?!" exclaimed all three of them.

Indeed, Class VII's own Jusis Albarea was currently fending off the group of arthropods by himself. He weaved in and out of each attack, not staying in the same place for more than a second.

"We need to help him!" Morgan reached for her ARCUS, but Rean stopped her.

"I think he can handle this," he assured her with a nod. "Just watch."

As he said that, Jusis breathed slowly and held out his sword with both hands. Then, a saintly glow began to surround his blade. The monsters that were surrounding him all pounced forward, but Jusis was ready. He rotated his body in a counterclockwise direction, performing a lengthened spinning attack that blew all the enemies away. Some fell into the water while the others simply fell to the ground, unmoving.

Morgan started clapping her hands. "Nice moves."

Jusis turned in surprise to his classmates. "I certainly didn't expect to encounter the three of you down here."

"That should be our line." Rean smirked. "This feels like déjà vu, doesn't it?"

"How so?" Morgan wondered aloud.

"Oh, that's right. You weren't there with us. On the first day at the old schoolhouse, Elliot, Gaius, Machias, and I found Jusis fighting some monsters by himself. He was surrounded on all sides, but he took down all of them like it was nothing! We eventually persuaded him to come with us and...well, you know the rest."

"As much as I would like to reminisce, we have more pressing matters at the moment." Jusis sheathed his sword. "If you three are here, then I assume you know that this leads to the guardhouse. I'll lead us there."

He turned around and started walking further down the waterway before anyone could say anything, so the other members of Group A had to catch up with him.

"You know what's going on?" Fie questioned.

"Unfortunately." Jusis carried a stern expression on his face. "Arresting the Imperial governor's son under a false charge in order to keep the Reformist Faction under control...I find it hard to believe my father would attempt something so brazen. Furthermore, he didn't have any intention of talking to me. I was placed under house arrest the moment I returned to the mansion by the provincial army."

"So that's what happened…" Rean commented. "Then, how exactly did you…?"

"I know my way around," Jusis replied. "I did my fair share of exploring back when there weren't as many monsters, so I'm familiar with the general layout of the waterway. Still, that doesn't explain how you three managed to find out about this place."

"We had a little help from your...exploring partner," Morgan explained.

"Exploring partner? But that could only mean…" Jusis mumbled to himself until his eyes widened with realization. "So it was her, then?"

Rean nodded. "Lea? Yes, it was."

"I'm surprised you managed to find her, much less convince her to provide assistance."

"We met her by chance," Rean explained. "And actually, she was the one who offered to help us."

"Truly?" Jusis raised an eyebrow. "That's rather surprising. Lea was never the person who showed her altruism to anyone."

"I could say the same about you," Morgan pointed out, drawing everyone's gazes. "You were planning on saving Machias, even if you had to do it alone, weren't you?"

Jusis snorted. "Hmph. Don't get the wrong idea. I just can't condone my father's actions. Besides…" He produced a small smirk with his mouth. "He's no doubt huddled up, crying and lonely in the corner of his cell right now. It's worth rescuing him just to see that."

Fie sighed. "Aaand, there it is."

Morgan placed her hand on her forehead. "I guess some things never change…"

Rean only smirked to himself. Perhaps there was some hope for those two after all…

* * *

After some more walking, the students found themselves at the underground entrance to the guardhouse. However, they found themselves barred by a fortified iron door that, unfortunately, only seemed to be openable from the inside.

"I should have figured that they would close the door on their end," Jusis berated himself.

"It looks far too sturdy for my sword to have much effect," Rean observed. "If only Laura were here…"

Morgan pressed against the stone doors and knocked softly. From the looks of it, they were impervious to low-level orbal arts, so even an all-out attack using their orbments wouldn't amount to much. She looked to the hinges of the doors. Maybe they could start with those? They looked about as sturdy as the doors themselves, though…

She felt someone tug at her blazer. "What's up, Fie?"

"This can be overcome," the silver-haired girl whispered.

"Really?" Morgan half-exclaimed.

Fie nodded. "The only ways we can bust this door open is if we unscrew the hinges or blow it up in one go. We don't have much time, though, so we need to go with the second."

"And how do you propose we do that?" Jusis asked. "You would need some matter of explosives to make a dent in them."

"Exactly." Fie raised her jacket slightly, revealing a belt with several pouches like Morgan's. "Stand back, everyone."

Morgan began to connect the dots. "Fie...are you sure about this?"

"Maybe, maybe not," she said. "Do you trust me?"

"Of course," Morgan replied without hesitation. "But I'm just saying-"

"Then leave this to me."

She brought out five malleable disks and placed them at different locations of the doors, two on each side covering the hinges and one in the center. She then procured a small vial containing some gray powder and sprinkled a bit on each disk. Once everything was set up, she took a few steps back and readied her gunswords.

"Ignition."

With a quick pull of the trigger, all five of the disks exploded. A moment later, the fortified doors that had appeared so impenetrable fell down at Fie's feet.

Fie placed her gunswords into their holsters and dusted her hands off. "Done."

"D-Don't just 'Done' us!" Jusis exclaimed. "What was that?!"

"Portable high-powered explosive," Fie responded flatly. "Plasticity makes it handy for this kind of espionage work."

"And where could you possibly have gotten such a thing?"

Fie remained silent. Out of respect for her female companion's willingness to expose her true colors, so did Morgan.

Rean exhaled, signaling the inevitable. "Fie, I think at this point, the rest of us have a right to know. Being able to keep up with the rest of us despite your age is one thing, but all this talk about smoke grenades and using explosives...it's clear your background is more complicated than it seems. So, if you're willing and able, we could use an explanation."

Fie and Morgan exchanged a quick glance and a nod. Taking in a small breath, Fie said, "Long story short, I used to be a jaeger. That's where I learned how to handle explosives and use my gunswords. That's all."

That surprised both of their male classmates. "A jaeger?" Rean repeated. "I wasn't expecting that."

"Jaeger corps are almost synonymous with the Grim Reaper," Jusis muttered to himself. "To think I'd be going to school with a jaeger…"

"Jusis…" Morgan gave him the stink eye.

Realizing himself, Jusis cleared his throat. "My apologies. I spoke out of turn. I mustn't let prejudices get the better of me."

"And it's not like knowing her past doesn't change who she is now," Rean added with a smile. "Thanks for telling us, Fie. And I'm sorry for prying."

"Not bothered," Fie said with a shrug.

Morgan grinned. "Looks like everything worked out fine in the end, huh, Fie?"

"I guess."

"If I may ask…" Jusis interjected. "How long were you aware of this, Daraen?"

"Only recently," she replied. "Let's just say you boys weren't the only ones who had a small heart-to-heart last night. But that's enough about that! We've got a class vice president we need to save!"

The students proceeded onward, turning a corner and moving up a flight of stairs until they were met with a row of jail cells.

"This looks like the place," Rean remarked. "Let's split up search all of the cells-"

"Am I hearing things…?"

The students jumped at the familiar voice. "Or, we could just follow that instead," Morgan finished.

They rushed in the direction of the voice. Indeed, standing all by his lonesome in a jail cell was none other than Machias.

"What are you all doing here?" their bespectacled classmate asked. "There's no way the provincial army would just let me go, unless… You didn't sneak in, did you?!"

"Keep it quiet, will you?" Fie hissed. "Stand back; I'm opening the cell."

Fie brought out another portable explosive, placed it over the keyhole, and sprinkled some gunpowder on it. Morgan, Rean, and Jusis all took a step back while Machias looked on, confounded.

"How are you going to-"

*BANG!* The door to the jail cell opened with no issue.

"We'll explain when we have more time!" Morgan said hurriedly. "Machias, where did they put your shotgun?"

"I-In one of the other cells…" Machias was still gawking in awe at what had just occurred. "I don't know which one, though."

"Split up and search for it!"

At Rean's order, the five students went in different directions to search for the missing weapon. Eventually, Jusis found it lying in one of the cells at the far end of the hallway, at which point Fie immediately went to work and placed another explosive on the cell door. One small explosion later and the shotgun was in its owner's rightful hands once again.

But before Group A could properly reconvene…

"What…?" "Voices…?"

"Damn…" Rean cursed. "We were too slow!"

With two soldiers coming in close, Fie made her move. Her hands moving as swift as the wind, she procured a small oval-shaped object with a ring attached and used her teeth to pull the ring out.

"Get going!"

She threw the cylinder, sending it skidding across the floor, and started running back the way they came. Everyone else hurriedly followed her. As the students made their way down the stairs, a loud popping noise coupled with bright lights rang behind them, followed by the sounds of two men screaming.

"Wh-What was that?!" Machias asked as they ran.

"A flash grenade," Fie explained. "That'll keep them handicapped for a little bit."

"A-And where exactly did you get such a thing?!"

Jusis snorted. "That was my question, Regnitz."

"Why are you here anyways?" Machias asked Jusis in-between breaths. "The others I can understand, but you of all people…"

"Hmph. I only came to get a glimpse at your tear-stained face."

"Oh, you little-"

"Plus…" Jusis continued. "I thought this might be a good opportunity to pay back my father." He proceeded to explain what had transpired since this morning to Machias, while Rean, Morgan, and Fie gave a short summary of how they reunited with Jusis.

Suddenly, two loud bestial howls reverberated throughout the underground waterway.

"That doesn't sound good…" Morgan muttered.

"Gee, you think?!" Machias shouted.

"If you have the energy to shout, you have the energy to run!" Jusis yelled, picking up his pace.

Eventually, the sound of encroaching footsteps began to echo throughout the waterway. However, no matter how much Group A tried to run, the footsteps kept growing louder.

"I'm sensing two of them…" Rean said. "And they're big!"

Fie looked behind her and hissed. "And fast."

The other students looked behind them to find their pursuers hot on their tails. They were large canines, had very sharp teeth and claws, and were covered head to toe with armor, with one beast possessing blue armor and red fur and other possessing golden armor and black fur. Suddenly, the canine with the blue armor broke into top speed, overtaking the students by jumping over them and landing in front of them, blocking the path forward.

"Geh…" Rean growled. "We're surrounded!"

The students had managed to reach the clearing where Rean, Morgan, and Fie had reunited with Jusis. Now, they were in a similar situation, being stuck in the middle of a team of enemies. The beasts slowly began to encircle the group, daring them to make the first move.

Machias readied his shotgun. "Y-Your family's army employs monsters like this?!"

"No one ever told me!" Jusis fired back.

Morgan looked back and forth between the two large dogs. As she compared the two, she began to notice subtle differences in their appearances, from the body mass to the shape of their respective armors. "If I had to hazard a guess, the blue one's faster, but the golden one's stronger. Machias, you and I can take the golden one while Rean and Fie can take the other-"

"Wait." Machias looked to Jusis. "Jusis Albarea, do you remember our promise this morning?"

Jusis returned the gaze. "It looks like I'm not the only one who thought of that. There's no better time than now, agreed?"

Machias adjusted his glasses by the bridge. "My thoughts exactly."

 **[IS]** At that moment, both of their ARCUS units started glowing and a faint blue line formed, connecting the two of them. After much trial and tribulation, they had finally done it; Jusis Albarea and Machias Regnitz had successfully tied an ARCUS link by themselves.

"Regnitz and I will handle the golden one," Jusis said. "We leave the blue one to the rest of you."

Rean and Morgan smiled. Even Fie's lips curved slightly upwards.

"Then I guess it's time to wrap up this month's field study…" Rean began as he and Fie tied an ARCUS link of their own. "Class VII, Group A… Commence attack on the targets!"

With a collective yell of approval, the students dispersed into their teams. Sensing the teens' intent to attack, the two canine beasts started yapping and jumped back to gain some ground. Now standing at opposite ends of the arena, they both let out a piercing howl.

"Howl all you want; that won't change a thing!" Machias unloaded a shotgun round at the golden-armored canine, causing it to growl and charge head-first at him. He could have easily moved out of the way, but had he done so, it would have put their other three classmates at risk of getting teamed up on, so Machias stood his ground. Holding his shotgun out as his only means of defense, Machias was pushed off his feet by the beast.

"Bad dogs require stern discipline!" Readying his sword, Jusis delivered a series of rapid thrusts followed by a horizontal swing to the monster's exposed side. In retaliation, it spun around furiously, forcing Jusis to step back.

Out of nowhere, a high-speed bullet flew into the beast, blowing a piece of its armor off. Jusis looked to see Machias holding his shotgun one-handed. He appeared no worse for wear, thanks to the effects of his master quartz.

"I should have figured that wouldn't be enough to take you down," Jusis remarked.

"You know me well." Machias reloaded his gun. "We need to take off its armor to get a clean hit. Here it comes!"

…

"Here it comes!"

The blue-armored dog snapped its maw three times before lunging forward. With the verbal cue from her partner, Fie leapt to the right and fired three bullets mid-dodge. Unfortunately, only one of the bullets managed to hit the canine; the other two bounced off of its armor.

"Frost Edge incoming!"

A storm of crystallized ice blades formed around the beast and barraged it from multiple directions.

"Thanks, Morgan!" With the enemy freed up, Rean attacked with his Autumn Leaf Cutter technique, quickly dashing in and unsheathing his sword. The beast yelped and tried to swipe its claws in retaliation, but Rean had already moved out of the way.

Enraged, the canine set its sights on Morgan, who was in the process of casting an art. Snapping its maw, it rushed forward. At the sight of the monster charging towards her, Morgan aimed her orbment towards her feet and gave the order to fire prematurely, resulting in a puddle of water pitifully sprawling onto the floor, before barely managing to avoid the monster's attack in time.

"Keep it locked in that position!" Morgan shouted. "I've got an idea!"

"Okay!" " _Ja_!"

Rean focused his energy and launched an arc-shaped projectile as he drew his sword. Fie twirled her gunswords and let loose a sweep of bullets. Both attacks bought Morgan enough time to switch from her ARCUS to her personal orbment and prepare a quick art. Her orbment crackling with electrical energy, she aimed it at the puddle of water by the canine's paws.

"You're mine."

…

"You're mine!"

Jusis unleashed an Air Strike art using his ARCUS and blasted the golden-armored dog with an orb of compressed air.

Following this, Machias fired another shotgun round at the monster, successfully removing another piece of armor. With the exception of the armor covering its head, neck, and limbs, the monster had lost most of its protection.

Machias reloaded his shotgun again, but he had a noticeable grimace on his face. "I only have one of those left…"

"Didn't think to replenish your supplies, Regnitz?" Jusis asked.

"Hey, I was stuck in jail!" he fired back. "What's your excuse?"

Despite the banter between the two, not once did the link between them show any signs of wavering.

Meanwhile, the monster decided to take the initiative and rushed towards Machias. Jusis was too far away from Machias to defend him, so he could only say, "Regnitz, look out!"

In response, Machias did something unprecedented. Grabbing his shotgun by the barrel, he swung it like a club, hitting the dog's maw as it was about to clamp down on him and sending it upwards. Immediately afterwards, he took aim, the lights on his shotgun whirring once more.

"This is our last chance!" he yelled. "Make it count!"

Machias fired his last round, sending a high-speed bullet into the monster's exposed stomach.

The edges of Jusis's lips started to curve upwards. "You don't need to tell me what to do."

He put both hands on his sword, which began to glow with energy…

…

His sword glowing with energy, Rean launched another arc-shaped projectile towards the canine. The electrical properties of Morgan's art combined with the small puddle of water she had created earlier left the monster paralyzed in place. But even when its movement was hindered, it proved tenacious enough to swipe its claws at any who dared to come near, so the students were now attacking from a distance to play it safe.

'We need to end this now…' Rean thought. 'It won't stay paralyzed forever, and the provincial army's probably getting closer to us by the second…'

"...Guess this looks like a job for a jaeger."

Having felt Rean's intentions, Fie walked right next to him. "Swift, but deadly; that's the jaeger way of doing things. Stand back. I'll handle this."

"Fie…" Rean wasn't sure what to say to his partner. "Listen, about earlier…"

"You already apologized," the silver-haired girl replied curtly.

"I-I know, but…" He scratched his head. "What I said earlier about your past not changing who you are now? I meant it. I just want you to know that I trust you, and if you give the others time… Well, let's all have a long discussion with everyone when we get back. Does that sound good?"

Fie looked up at him and met him in the eyes. "Sounds like a pain," she retorted, "but that's fine. I'll put my trust in you too. That's why this time…" She paused to turn her gaze towards the monster. "I won't hold anything back."

The former jaeger started to walk towards the armored canine. When she was about a few paces away from it, she reached into her pouch and pulled out a grenade.

"Hey, Pooch!" she called out to it.

The canine looked at the small girl, who was waving the grenade in her hand like a ball.

"Eyes on the prize."

Fie used her teeth to pull the ring out from the grenade and threw it high into the air. As expected, the dog's gaze followed the grenade, not noticing that Fie had begun to crouch low to the ground.

…

"Your end is sure!" "Here I go!"

Jusis thrust forward, stabbing the monster in the gut and locking it in place. Then, with his sword still glowing, he performed two diagonal slashes to form an 'X' before bringing his sword behind him.

Fie dashed forward at blinding speed, cutting the canine at all angles, before leaping off of it. The grenade still in the air, Fie kicked it at the monster and aimed her gunswords.

"Crystal Saber!" "Sylphid Dance!"

Jusis delivered a spinning attack, shredding the canine's armor like paper.

Fie spun like a vortex and rained down a hail of bullets, hitting the grenade and causing it to explode.

In two separate swoops, both canines fell to the ground, defeated. **[ISE]**

Rean leaned on his tachi for support. "We did it…"

Fie, having landed safely on the ground, was visibly exhausted, having put all her energy into her last attack. "That was tough."

Jusis, also exhausted from his last attack, almost dropped his sword. "Hmph. I have no intention of letting filthy beasts get the better of me, trained or otherwise."

Machias wiped the sweat from his brow. "I thought we were done for…"

All the members of Group A, now gathered in a small circle in the center of the arena, briefly stared at each other in silence.

Then, the member who had yet to say anything started laughing.

"H-Honestly, Morgan…" Machias said. "This is no laughing matter, you know."

"I...I can't help it!" Morgan could barely get the words out of her mouth. "That was amazing! We've been trying so hard to get you two to work together, and all it took was...for you guys to get arrested!"

As Morgan continued laughing, other members started to grin profusely as well.

"Well, when you put it that way…" Rean thought aloud.

"Guess it could've been worse." Fie shrugged her shoulders.

"Rean, Fie! Not you too!" complained Machias.

"Look at you all, grinning like idiots." Jusis shook his head.

"Not as much as you are!" Machias fired back.

"Say that once more with a straight face, Regnitz. I dare you!"

Perhaps things didn't go the way they had intended it to, but Group A couldn't have asked for a more fitting way to cap off their field study.

But of course, all good things had to come to an end eventually. Just as the students were ready to head back to the surface, the sound of a loud whistle made their blood run cold.

"Rean, is it just me or does this scene look familiar?" Morgan asked as the provincial army soldiers surrounded the students.

The swordsman shook his head. "Nope. I'm having flashbacks of my own."

"Looks like the end of the road…" Machias grumbled.

The provincial army officer walked up to them, shaking his head in disapproval. "You've pushed your luck one step too far this time! Are you that desperate to be thrown in a cell with Regnitz?!"

"If you want to arrest us, go right ahead."

The soldiers did a double take at the sight of the younger Albarea. "L-Lord Jusis?!" the army officer exclaimed. "What are you doing here? I thought you'd been locked at the mansion!"

"I chose to return to my studies." Jusis crossed his arms. "Well? What's it to be? Accusing my classmates will implicate me as well."

Some of the soldiers hesitantly muttered to themselves, but the officer quickly commanded their attention. "Silence! Not even Lord Jusis has the right to trespass in a military facility, much less to release a suspect in our custody, directly opposing the orders of His Grace the Duke!"

Morgan gritted her teeth. 'This isn't good…' At this rate, they would all be incarcerated with no way of escaping. Being in an underground waterway also didn't help matters; no one would be able to hear their cries for help. It seemed like there was only one way they could get out of this situation…

"Enough!" Jusis looked like he was a few moments away from fuming. "We may not be the best of friends, but I trust them all the same! I am Jusis Albarea, and I will not simply stand by and watch as one of my classmates is arrested under false charges and used as a tool in some political war!"

The soldiers were momentarily stunned at the younger Albarea's words, as were the other students.

Morgan's hand reached into her skirt pocket, where she had temporarily stashed her tactical orbment. There was one last ace up her sleeve…

"Tch!" The provincial army officer remained unconvinced. "We have our orders, and nothing you say will change that. Disarm them, men! Lord Jusis included!"

Morgan exhaled and willed her power to simmer into existence.

But right before she could feel the embers appear over her body…

"That will not be necessary."

She promptly silenced her power.

All the people present turned to the direction of the sudden voice. Standing right in front of them, no worse for wear, was Rufus Albarea.

"L-Lord Rufus!" All the soldiers saluted in respect.

"H-How?" Jusis couldn't believe his eyes. "I thought you were in the capital!"

"I was," Rufus confirmed. "But then I received a message from the academy at noon today. I returned by airship as quickly as I could."

He then glanced behind him to look at the individual who was catching up to him. "...With your instructor."

"Looks like you all did a fine job!" Sara cheerily greeted her students, waving her hand at them like they were all just meeting up for lunch. Naturally, her appearance sent a shock through the students as well.

"What are you doing here, Instructor?" asked Rean. The rest of Group A crowded around their teacher while Rufus spoke with the provincial army officer.

"Your timing is a little too convenient," Fie remarked.

"Ha! If only things were that easy." Sara scratched the back of her head. "I actually heard what was happening a little earlier from a friend of mine. As soon as the news reached my ears, I shot to my feet and got right in contact with the director over there. Since we were both going in the same direction, he was kind enough to give me a ride on his airship back from the capital. We got back to Bareahard, my friend debriefed us, we entered the waterway, and that's why I'm here!"

"I don't know what to say…" Machias said.

"By the way, how're you feeling, Machias?" questioned Sara. "Did you like doing time?"

"Not one bit," he responded. "But then everyone else came, and...well, I'm feeling much better now."

"It looks like you and Jusis managed to make up while I wasn't here, too," Sara noticed. "Kudos! Looks like this field study was a success!"

"All's well that ends well, I suppose." Everyone turned to Rufus. The provincial army had already started heading back the way they came. "I had hoped that your last day would go by without much issue, but it appears you can never be too sure of things. Wouldn't you agree, Instructor Valestein?"

"You took the words right out of my mouth, Director."

"W-Wait just a second…" Jusis interjected. "You keep calling my brother 'Director'. Why is that?"

Sara gave the older Albarea an odd look. "You mean you didn't tell them yet?"

"That was intentional on my part," Rufus admitted, chuckling. "I wanted to see the look on my brother's face when he found out I was a member of the academy's board of directors _after_ he enrolled there."

"B-Board of directors?!" Machias exclaimed.

Rufus stroked his chin. "Hmm, judging from how close your jaws are to the floor, I'd say I certainly succeeded."

"No kidding…" Morgan put a finger to her lips. "That explains why you knew so much about Class VII."

Rufus retrieved a pocket watch and inspected the time. "It's getting rather late, and I'm sure all of you are exhausted. What do you say we all retire for the day?"

"A splendid idea!" Instructor Sara clapped her hands. "I was just in the mood for a drink myself!"

A bead of uneasy sweat dropped collectively from the students' heads. "The director's right there," Fie pointed out.

"No need for concern, Miss Claussell," Rufus assured her. "Instructor Valestein's aptitude for combat is matched only by her aptitude for drinking large quantities of alcohol. Such a notion has been made aware among the Thors faculty for a while now."

"And I bet I know who it was that leaked it in the first place…" Sara grumbled. "It was the vice principal, wasn't it?"

Rufus bowed to the violet-haired instructor. "I hereby exercise my right to remain silent."

As the two adults led the students out of the waterway, Morgan felt someone tug at her blazer. "Is something the matter, Fie?"

"You feeling okay?" the former jaeger asked her. "You look like you're on edge."

"O-Oh, really?" Morgan cleared her throat. "I was just trying to stay calm. You know, how we almost got arrested by the provincial army?"

"They've been gone for a while," Fie said. "Why so serious all of a sudden?"

"I-Is it really that odd for me to act vigilant?"

"Why so vigilant, then?"

"Never mind. It's nothing."

Fie shrugged her shoulders. "Whatever you say." She picked up her pace to walk with the rest of the group, leaving Morgan by herself in the back.

'He was looking at me…'

Morgan turned her eyes towards Rufus Albarea. He was currently talking with his brother, likely about filial matters. It didn't seem like he had noticed that she was looking at him. Or was he? It was difficult to tell with that man, what with his serene smile and unwavering tone.

"That will not be necessary," he had said. Right as she was about to use her power, no less.

Perhaps she was overthinking things, but at the moment, Morgan couldn't help but shake the feeling that those words were directed at her.

'Fie...everyone...I'm sorry,' she apologized in her head. 'I guess...maybe I'm just not ready yet to tell you everything about myself.'

* * *

 **Author's note: At last, the field study for Chapter 2 is over! Well, technically it isn't; everyone needs to get back to the academy first, which is what the next chapter will cover. I'm planning on doing something different in regards to how the homecoming is told, though, so do look forward to that.**

 **Also, it just occurred to me, but as of this writing we have passed the one-year anniversary for this story! Thanks to all who stuck around since the beginning, and thanks to those who just recently gave this story a favorite and a follow! It is my hope that I get to finish this story eventually, even if it's taking a while to do it, but I want to make sure that every chapter from this point on is filled with content I can be proud of. With that, see you next time for the final chapter in...this chapter!** **(≧ω≦)ゞ**


	22. May 31st - The Homecoming

**Rean**

Following their successful jailbreak, Group A returned to their hotel in Bareahard for a fulfilling dinner hosted by Rufus, finally making good on his promise to invite the students to a banquet, followed by a good night's sleep. The next morning, the students got up early to leave with their instructor by train.

"You didn't have to personally see us off," Jusis said.

"Oh, but I insist!" Rufus refuted. "It's the least I can do for all the trouble my father caused you during this field study."

"You already paid us back plenty," Rean objected. "By coming in the nick of time, inviting us to dinner last night… We can't thank you enough."

Everyone else gave their thanks as well.

The train to Trista sounded its horn. Taking that as their cue to leave, Group A boarded the train and bade farewell to the Verdant City of Bareahard.

Since it was relatively early in the morning, the teens were still visibly exhausted, a fact that their instructor didn't hesitate to point out.

"And you call yourselves teenagers! Unlike me, you actually get to go to sleep every night. You should be full of energy by this point in the day!"

Rean couldn't help but let out a groan. "Give me a break…"

"Can you really blame us, Instructor?" Morgan seemed to share his sentiment. "We went through a lot this weekend, not to mention this is the second time Rean and I almost got arrested."

"Well, that's certainly true enough," Instructor Sara admitted. "Group B had their fair share of problems to deal with as well, but they weren't quite as serious as yours."

"Saint-Arkh is the territory of Marquis Hyarms of the Four Great Houses," Jusis recalled. "I wouldn't be surprised if they encountered a conflict between the two factions just as we have."

"Hyarms…" Morgan repeated the name. "Why do I feel like I've heard that name around school?"

"It's because his youngest son is in our year," Machias said, not at all enthused. "His name is Patrick, if I recall correctly."

"Yeah, I remember him." Rean recalled the way the pompous student introduced himself during orbal science class. "He's been trying to get on my good side ever since he found out I was a noble."

"Has he succeeded yet?"

"Well, I haven't interacted with him all that much, so I can't give an honest answer," he admitted to Morgan. "I don't consider him an acquaintance, at the very least."

"By the way, Sara?" Fie asked. "Aurochs Fortress is nothing to worry about, is it? It's beyond a joke."

"So I've heard." The violet-haired instructor grimaced. "And the provincial army isn't the only force trying to improve its armaments. The Imperial Army is doing the same, with the Blood and Iron Chancellor and his twenty armored divisions squarely at the center."

All the students let that piece of information hang in the air. Jusis and Machias, with their ties to the leaders of both opposing factions, didn't look like they took the news well.

"If that's the case…" Rean started to say. "How should the military academy...or rather, how should we, as students, act in a situation like this?"

"That…" Sara's voice drifted off for dramatic effect. "...is nothing you need to be worrying about. Not right now, at least."

Of all the responses he expected her to give, Rean didn't expect this one. From the looks of things, his classmates were just as intrigued.

"You're at the academy to learn, so that's all you should be focusing on," Instructor Sara explained. "While you're there, it's true that you may be forced to acknowledge some of the more...unpleasant realities of Erebonia, but I believe there's something special to be gained from that. Something you can only gain now, at this moment in time...so long as you're together with your friends and classmates. People for whom there is no substitute. Maybe when you graduate and go out into the world, much of what you've learned at Thors will have little meaning, but I still truly believe that sometime, somehow, what you experience as part of Class VII will be an invaluable treasure to you. It may not seem that way now, but I know in my heart that it will someday."

"Instructor…" Rean had almost nothing to say in response to their instructor's reply. For all intents and purposes, it was good, practical advice.

But even still…

"Pffft! Hahaha!"

That didn't stop the entire group from laughing their heads off.

"Hoo…" Machias took off his glasses to wipe a tear from his eyes. "You almost had me there for a moment.

"That was the last thing I ever thought I'd hear from you," Jusis confessed.

Instructor Sara rightfully pouted. "H-Hey! What's with all the laughing?!"

"S-Sorry, Instructor…" Rean apologized, but even he couldn't pry the grin off his face. "I'm thankful that you gave a deep answer to my question, but…"

"...coming out of your mouth, they were just…"

"...painfully droll."

"Morgan! Fie!" Sara whined, evidently feeling betrayed by the other females in the train booth.

"Something you can only gain now, at this moment in time…" Jusis recited in the best authoritative voice he could muster. "So long as you're together with your friends and classmates. People for whom there is no substitute."

Machias looked like he was ready to go into another laughing fit. "S-Stop that! Are you trying to kill me?!"

Instructor Sara puffed her cheeks like an angry child. "Why must this instructor thing be so difficult sometimes…?" she mumbled to herself.

Still smiling to himself, Rean leaned against the window and looked at the passing scenery.

'Something I can only gain now…' he thought. 'For me that would have to be…'

He looked at each of his classmates. Morgan, a dependable ally who could be both easygoing and serious. Machias, a stubborn intellectual who was also diligent and hardworking. Jusis, a considerate soul that lay beneath an aura of confidence. Fie, the youngest of the class who already experienced so much. There was also Laura, Elliot, Alisa, Gaius, and Emma, all capable individuals in their own right.

'Classmates… Friends… People who can save me from myself.'

* * *

 **Jusis**

Friends. That was a term Jusis could hardly say he was familiar with. Then again, it came with being a bastard son of one of the Four Great Houses. Connections were plenty and acquaintances there were many, but the number of people he considered true friends was little in number.

So when he put his own pride as a noble on the line for the sake of his classmates, even Jusis had surprised himself to silence. He had claimed that they weren't the best of friends...yet, but it was evident enough that fighting for their lives had caused them to grow closer together. Yes, even Regnitz, as much as he loathed to admit.

It was something that continued to eat at his mind as he and the other members of Group A were treated to a well-deserved dinner at the hotel. They were all in various states of fatigue when they made their safe return, but the food was able to invigorate them to the point where they acted as if the afternoon's events hadn't happened at all.

"Intriguing, isn't it?" his brother conversed with him. "Nothing brings people closer than a meal right after escaping a life-or-death situation."

"Brother, please." Jusis sighed into his after-meal tea. "Now is not the time for a philosophical discussion about the inner workings of trust."

"But you were willing to lay down your life for them," Rufus reminded him. "Is that not the symbol of mutual trust?"

Jusis had to admit that his brother had a point. But even still…

"I wouldn't know. If I cannot trust my own flesh and blood, how can I trust those beyond that?"

Rufus looked hurt.

"I-I'm terribly sorry!" Jusis swiftly apologized. "I didn't mean to-!"

"It's quite alright." His older brother gave him a weak smile. "I know you were referring to Father, but I must admit I am also guilty of this. Granted, I only do so out of amusement for most of the time, but that doesn't change the fact that I also keep plenty of secrets to myself, both from you and Father. In that way, I suppose I'm a hypocrite for trying to talk about trust, aren't I?"

"N-Not at all!" Jusis shook his head. "Everyone has a right to their own secrets, do they not? Besides, regardless of what secrets you may have, that doesn't change the fact that you're still my brother, and…" He smiled reassuringly. "I couldn't have asked for a better older brother."

Rufus merely looked at him in stunned silence for a moment. Then, he chuckled to himself. "Oh, what did I do to have you as a younger brother?"

As the two brothers shared a light-hearted laugh, Jusis felt a gloved hand graze his shoulder. He turned to find Arnauld standing behind his chair.

"You have a visitor, Lord Jusis," the butler informed him.

"A visitor?" Jusis wondered. "Who would want to see me at this hour?"

"Ah, it seems she came sooner than expected…"

Jusis looked to find his brother displaying his trademark all-knowing smile. "What do you mean?" he asked him.

"I figured you would appreciate some company for your last night in Bareahard," Rufus explained. "So, I sent word to Lord Voltaire's manor, and they were more than delighted to send a representative over."

Given the pronoun he had used, Jusis could hazard a guess as to who his visitor was. "But I…"

"It's best not to keep a guest waiting," he advised him. "It would also be prudent for the two of you to exchange stories so you can better write your report, as I'm sure your classmates would agree."

Jusis looked to his classmates. To his dismay, they were all looking at him with varying degrees of acceptance. He particularly had to keep himself from looking at the evil smirk Regnitz was directing towards him.

"This is strictly business." Making another bullet point on the list of things he wished his brother never showed to his classmates, Jusis stood up from the dinner table and followed Arnauld to the lobby, where the guest in question was waiting.

"Lea."

"Lord Jusis." The red-haired girl stood up from her chair and gave a small curtsy. "How are you faring?"

"Rather well, all things considered." He put his hands on his hips. "I heard that you came to the aid of my classmates. Color me surprised."

"It started out as a whim, to be honest," Lea said, trying to play her actions down. "I had no intentions of getting involved in the first place, but…"

"But…?"

Lea started fidgeting with her dress and looked away. "I...I overheard that you were in danger, so I felt like I had to do something. After that...well…"

Jusis was glad Lea was looking away; if she weren't, she would have noticed the faint blush that had suddenly appeared on his face. He cleared his throat to recompose himself before speaking again. "Putting that aside, I have also become aware that that was not your only contribution, correct?"

Lea looked to him in surprise. "Eh?"

"On the way back, my brother and instructor notified us that they attained some help from a civilian in locating the waterway. Since my classmates told me of how you led them there in the first place, it only stands to reason that you were also the civilian that they had encountered." Jusis looked around him to see a few guests loitering around the lobby. "Would you care to explain how that occurred? We can take this outside if you wish."

Lea exhaled. "I'm certain that whatever you're thinking of couldn't be further from the truth." She followed him outside as he held the door for her. "Here's what happened…"

* * *

 **Fie**

Contrary to how she presented herself to others, Fie was far more perceptive of other people's feelings than they would expect; you'd make a terrible jaeger if you didn't learn how to pick up nonverbal cues, after all. And in the hours following their trip to save Machias, she kept her eyes on one member of Group A that had undergone a subtle change in their emotions: Morgan.

What sort of changes, one may ask? Well, putting aside how "vigilant" she was acting in the underground waterway, the way she looked at others, namely Jusis and Fie herself, indicated that she felt some sort of guilt. Guilt about what? Unfortunately, Fie didn't know the answer to that one; she made observations, not educated guesses. Perhaps it could all be chalked up to post-mission nerves, but after spending two nights with Morgan in the same room and talking about their respective origins, Fie could say with some confidence that she knew her classmate's overall behavior.

Basically, Morgan was direct and wasn't afraid to let anyone or anything get in her way. She also possessed a tactical genius that was far beyond her years and a sense for combat that could only be honed through actual fighting. But despite her physical prowess she was prone to fits of ditziness every now and then. Tuning things out, forgetfulness, the occasional shout when she connected all the dots together, little stuff like that. The point is, if there was a time where she dodged around an issue or spoke vague answers and she wasn't simply acting like a ditz, then that meant something was up. And it wasn't something as simple as asking her the question outright; even though she left much to be desired, Morgan knew how to change the subject.

So when Morgan dozed off on the train ride back with everyone in attendance, Fie decided then and there to pop a few questions.

"You think she's really asleep?"

Sara, the resident expert on power napping (second only to Fie herself, of course), inspected her. "Yup. Judging from how she's breathing, she's all tuckered out. Why do you ask?"

"Cause I've got a few questions I want to ask you." She looked to the other occupants in the train booth. "All of you."

"Are you referring to your background as a jaeger?" Jusis asked.

That caught Sara's attention. "Oh, you told them already?"

"It was necessary," Fie replied. "Had to use a few explosives to bust Machias out. I'll have to ask old Micht to get some more when we get back."

"The pawn shop?" Machias half-exclaimed. "THAT'S where you've been getting those?"

"Keep it down, will you?" Fie hushed him, looking over her shoulder to check that Morgan was still asleep. "Yeah, Micht can get his hands on anything, but that's besides the point." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "It's about Morgan."

"Morgan?" Rean looked to their sleeping classmate. "What about her?"

"What do you guys think about her?" she asked, to which she was met with several odd looks. "I mean in terms of personality, not whether you, you know, like her."

The three boys thought about her question for about half a minute.

"She's dependable, for one," Rean finally spoke. "Both times I asked her to accompany me to the Old Schoolhouse, she was instrumental to our success. Even outside of combat, she's always ready to lend a hand if you ask her. I guess we're a bit alike in that sense."

"I think she's a really hard worker," Machias followed up. "If she doesn't know something, she'll put her mind to getting at least a basic understanding before proceeding onward. That mentality has helped her excel in academics, although I have noticed that she is prone to zoning out when she's concentrating on something."

"I haven't interacted with her all that often, to be honest," Jusis admitted, "but I can tell that she isn't bothered with the class system, which can be both a bane and a boon. She treats nobles and commoners alike with the same amount of friendliness. That, and she's gifted in the art of tactics, as Rean mentioned earlier."

"Why are you asking us?"

Instead of replying to Rean's question, Fie directed her attention towards Sara. "I'll be blunt: Sara, who is she?"

Rean, Machias, and Jusis all looked to their violet-haired instructor, who only raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? Morgan is Morgan. Doesn't matter what she's been through in the past or what she is now."

"That's not the point…" Fie grumbled. "You must've seen something in her files. What can you tell us about her background?"

"Why are you so eager to find out, Fie?" Sara leaned in closer with a rare stern expression directed on her face. "I can understand why you feel some sort of kinship with her, but just because you revealed your background doesn't automatically make you entitled to know everyone else's."

"Well, I…"

'I want to understand her.'

"Even still…" Sara continued. "Any information regarding her background is not for me to disclose. I CAN tell you that she came from Heimdallr, but you'll have to figure out the rest on your own." She then looked to the person in question, who had somehow remained asleep throughout the discussion. "You sure you don't want to ask her right now?"

Fie shook her head. "Never mind."

'I want to understand what makes her feel guilty.'

"I'm sure she'll tell us in her own time," Rean assured her. "This month's field study was pretty heavy. I don't mean any offense when I say this, but neither of us expected to learn about you or Jusis, and now that we have…" He closed his hand into a fist. "Maybe she needs time to reflect on her own past. I know I do."

Machias nodded in agreement, his expression notably softer than usual. "You two certainly set the standard when it comes to backstories. It was courageous, I'll admit, but that puts the rest of us in a precarious position. How do we respond to it, even if we can?"

'I want to get to know her better.'

Fie stopped momentarily when she thought that. When was the last time she was ever invested in getting to know someone? She had almost forgotten. A jaeger's life was never constant, always moving from one job to the next, never given a chance to establish connections. Even the other members of Zephyr, as close as family as they were, knew that some of them would have to depart sooner than others, so they were careful with what, and to whom, they could or couldn't share. So now that she had the time…

"Fie?"

If Fie were a cat, her ears would be standing straight up. "It's nothing," she answered Rean.

Now that she was looking with hindsight, Fie realized that despite them opening up to each other over the past few days, she still knew relatively little about her fellow _auslander_. At least, compared to how much she knew about her.

Morgan was direct and wasn't afraid to let anyone or anything get in her way. She also possessed a tactical genius that was far beyond her years and a sense for combat that could only be honed through actual fighting. But despite her physical prowess she was prone to fits of ditziness every now and then. Tuning things out, forgetfulness, the occasional shout when she connected all the dots together, little stuff like that.

This month's field study added several new aspects to her personality. She was willing to listen to other people's problems, even if she didn't know the answer to some of them. She could be nosy when it came to learning about others, but when it came to her own background she was careful about choosing her words. She gave off the impression that she was more powerful and skilled than she let on, yet she chose not to reveal it for reasons unknown. And if her earlier comments were to be believed, she also happened to be a descendant of foreign royalty. Fie wasn't sure what to make about that last part, but the thought of someone like Morgan being some long-lost princess or something was amusing to say the least.

'I want to try...giving people a reason to trust me.'

But in order for that to happen, she had to be the one to start being honest with others.

And there was only one way she could think of that could accomplish that.

* * *

 **Lea**

 _Lea made her way up the stairs and back onto Station Street. Fortunately, there didn't appear to be anyone in the surrounding vicinity, so no one should have seen her or Jusis's classmates perform their little stunt by the entrance to the underground waterway. If she was by herself, there would be little cause for concern; the locals had long since given up on trying to keep her and Jusis away from the underground waterway. It acted as their "secret spot" of sorts, where they could run around freely without being under the supervision of all those stuffy adults. Well, maybe that wasn't necessarily true; Rufus, Jusis's brother, was always nice to them, and Ralph was one of the few people in the world she trusted with all her heart. But sometimes, people just wanted to be left to their own devices._

" _Excuse me. You! Little lady in red!"_

' _...Crap.'_

 _She turned around to find a blonde-haired man wearing a white jacket walking towards her. He had a relaxed smile on his face, possibly to imply that he meant no harm, but Lea knew better. Anyone with ulterior motives would approach someone with a friendly demeanor, only to stab them in the back later._

" _Is something the matter?" she asked curtly._

" _Yeah, actually," the blonde man responded. "Listen, I was hoping you could help me with a little something…"_

 _Lea went on the defensive. "I have no interest in any of your special 'jobs'; if you're looking for new hires, I highly recommend you go find another city."_

" _Whoa, whoa!" The blonde man raised both his hands. "Do I really look like one of those sleazebags to you?"_

" _..."_

 _The blonde man looked at his attire and sighed. "Okay, fair point. Look, I saw you with those kids down there. They're students of a friend of mine, and I've been keeping an eye on them from a distance, so I know the whole story."_

" _And not once did you think to help?"_

" _Well, I WAS going to tip them off in the right direction, but they went into the jewelry store instead of the bar, and the next thing I know, they're already moving to the waterway!" He shrugged. "Can you blame me?"_

" _Maybe for being lousy help."_

 _The man scratched the back of his head. "Well, I can't argue with that."_

 _Lea was mildly surprised that the man readily admitted such a fact. Perhaps he wasn't as bad as she initially thought…_

" _I don't have much freedom to help people directly these days," the man continued, "so the most I can do is do things behind-the-scenes. Case in point, I told my friend about all this, and she's coming over as fast as she can. She even said that she brought along a director from the academy." He crossed his arms. "The point is, you helped those students, so I'd like it if you could give a short testimony to get everyone up to speed. Oh, your personal information will remain confidential, of course."_

" _And how do I know that I can trust you?"_

" _Because I used to go down there to get rid of the monsters. That was an old routine of mine, when I used to be stationed here." From his jacket pocket, the man procured an orbment with a symbol of a gauntlet in front of a shield emblazoned on the cover. "The name's Toval, and I'm a bracer. Does that work enough?"_

...

"...after that, he took me to see your instructor and Lord Rufus. I filled them in on what happened, they headed to the underground waterway, and...well, you know the rest."

"Were you aware that my brother was a director at the academy?"

Lea shook her head. "I was just as surprised as the rest of you were, but Lord Rufus IS known to be a man of many secrets, even amongst the other members in the Noble Faction. I'm more surprised that he never mentioned it once to you."

"Actually, he deliberately withheld that information just so he could see my reaction," Jusis grumbled.

Somehow, Lea wasn't surprised in the least. Engaging in "brotherly teasing" was one of Lord Rufus's favorite pastimes. "That must have been a sight to see. How is your jaw? Did it hit the floor?"

"I'll leave that to your imagination," he replied. "But to return to the matter at hand, you played a crucial part in all of this. Were it not for your intervention, my other classmates and I would likely be in less-than-ideal circumstances, and for that, I thank you."

He lowered his head to show his sincerity. For any regular person, a member of the Four Great Houses lowering their heads would reduce them to a blubbering, flattered mess. But to Lea…

"The son of House Albarea, personally thanking me?" she quipped. "Someone pinch me; I must be dreaming."

"A simple 'you're welcome' would suffice."

"Now that is something I cannot do. We both know I have a reputation to maintain."

"We're by ourselves now, last I checked." It was true. For some reason, she and Jusis had subconsciously drifted to the lower levels of the city and were now standing outside the entrance to the underground waterway. It was admittedly ironic that they had gone to the place Jusis and his classmates had just escaped from, but it was the spot they frequently went to if they wanted to have a private conversation in the past. "You are free to let your hair down, as they say."

"I don't think I'm familiar with that phrase," she said. "Would you care to enlighten me?"

Jusis gave a rare smirk. "I see no need to. You're already doing fine."

He looked up to the sky, which had grown darker to signal the transition from dusk to night. The moon had risen high enough for the two of them to catch a glimpse of its waxing crescent shape.

"The moon is beautiful tonight."

Those words sent alarms ringing through Lea's head. "Wh-Wh-What?!"

The younger Albarea looked at her oddly. "What has gotten into you all of a sudden?"

"W-Well...I-I mean…" Lea could hardly get the words out of her mouth, which only made her even more embarrassed. At this point, she was sure that her face was about as red as her hair.

"I was merely observing the moon," Jusis said nonchalantly. "There's no need to get so flustered."

"O-Oh, of course…" She took a few deep breaths to calm herself. 'Jusis...you do know what that means, don't you?'

Lea wouldn't consider herself an expert on every idiom commonly used by the nobility, but reading certain novels was enough to give her a basic idea of the most notable ones, and one phrase in particular was synonymous with confessing one's love to another. The exact origin of the phrase was unknown as far as Lea was concerned, but repeated use in a number of prominent novels, particularly in those belonging to the romance genre, cemented it as a mainstay of literary culture.

Of course, that also meant that people who weren't as well-versed had a chance to simply say it with no consequence, which appeared to be the case with Jusis. Lea mentally berated herself for getting flustered over nothing.

"It's interesting…" he spoke once more, garnering Lea's attention. "The moon appears the same no matter where you are in the world, but looking at it again from Bareahard after being away for two months… It feels different. Nostalgic, even. I wonder if this is proof that my time at the academy has affected me…"

"...Is that necessarily a bad thing?"

Her words appeared to have startled him. She began to walk slowly to his side.

"Change is something that happens to everything. Even things that appear constant are affected by the passage of time. People always look to who they were in the past to measure their change, but they don't realize that by being alive, they're already one step further from who they once were. I know for a fact that I can never be the person I was yesterday." Her voice lowered. "And it's not like I have a past to look back on, anyways…"

"Lea…" Jusis's expression softened. "So your memory still hasn't…?"

She shook her head. "Every time I try to remember, it eludes me. My parents, my time before meeting Ralph...he hasn't given up on finding a cure, you know. He continues to persist, even after I've told him that there are things medicine can't fix. But for all I know, I could be a completely different person than I was previously; that's why I've more or less stopped caring about how much I have changed." She held a hand to her chest. "I've embraced that the person I am now is the result of change."

Jusis merely stood there silently after her little speech. Then, he exhaled and said, "Is this your way of telling me to not be afraid of change?"

"Take my words however you like," Lea replied. "I felt that sharing my experience would assist you with handling yours." She looked to the moonlit sky. "We are busy with our own duties these days, but I can still feel it. We are still kindred spirits, are we not?"

"Social pariahs hidden in plain sight…" he mused, his mouth curving slightly upwards. "I suppose no matter how much we change, there are still some things that remain constant, no?"

She giggled at that. "...Hey, Jusis?"

"Yes?" he responded.

She looked to him and smiled. "You're right. The moon IS beautiful tonight."

Jusis looked mildly surprised that she had addressed him so casually, but it didn't seem to bother him. "Glad you share my sentiments for once," he commented.

The two of them stood in silence for a little while longer, looking at the night sky while listening to the sound of running water.

Somehow, Lea had a sinking feeling that they wouldn't be able to share a night like this for a long time.

* * *

 **Morgan**

The first thing Morgan after waking up was sneeze a few times. Somehow, she had a sneaking suspicion that people had been talking about her behind her back. At least, that was how the superstition went, anyway.

It was around noon by the time she and the other members of Group A arrived back in Trista. Group B was not due to come in for another half-hour or so, and Class VII was collectively exempt from classes for the rest of the day due to coming back on a Monday, so the students had the entire afternoon to wind down and relax.

For Morgan, however, there was one last thing she had to do before turning in. After dropping off her weapon in her dorm room, she made her way to the academy and turned the corner to the Engineering Building. Immediately, she noticed that the orbal bike was resting outside the building with the covers off. She could also make out some voices as she drew nearer to the door.

"...so he asked me, 'What does she find attractive in a man?'" Morgan instantly recognized this voice as Crow's. "And you know what I said?"

"I'm not sure I like where this is going…" another voice, this one sounding like George's, replied.

"Well, I, for one, am interested," spoke an unfamiliar female voice. "So? Let's hear it, and just so you know, I'm judging this."

"Angie, don't try and goad him!" warned another female voice, this one sounding like Towa's.

Morgan decided to open the door at this time, promptly interrupting the conversation. Her eyes wandered to the small table near the back of the building, where, as predicted, Crow, George, Towa, and an unfamiliar woman were gathered. The last of the group stood out the most, as she possessed short purple hair and wore a black leather biker suit, nothing like the appearances of any of the other students at Thors. Morgan wondered if she was even a student at all.

"Hey," she greeted them. "Sorry, was I interrupting something?"

"Hey, Morgan!" George greeted back. "When did you guys get back?"

"Just now, actually." She patted the pouches around her waist. "And I've brought some extra goodies."

She took off her belt and handed it to George, who looked happy to take it off her hands. As he stepped aside to sort the contents, the purple-haired woman stood up from her seat and moved closer to Morgan. "So you're the Morgan I've been hearing about?" she asked.

"Uh, yes," Morgan responded. "I'm Morgan Daraen. And you are…" Her voice trailed off as the purple-haired woman had hunched forward and started shifting her position so she could scrutinize her every feature. Then, the woman's face suddenly broke into a toothy grin before she enveloped Morgan in a sudden bear hug, causing her to yelp in surprise.

"Ooh, I like this one!" the woman crooned as she nuzzled Morgan. "Her frame is nicely agile, but there's also a fair amount of strength to back it up! Just the right amount of vim and vigor, and yet there's something exotic about her, too!"

"U-Uh...you're welcome?" Morgan tried to protest further, but the woman's hold was firm. Not helping matters was that her face was right in the center of the woman's...generous assets.

"A-Angie…" Towa spoke up. "Can't you see you're making her uncomfortable?"

Crow sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "And THIS is why I told her to run…"

Eventually, the woman was forced to release her hold when George came back to hand Morgan her belt. Feeling flushed from the stench of leather, she had to take a moment to breath before she put her belt back on. "So…" Morgan addressed to the purple-haired woman. "I'm guessing you're Angelica?"

"That's right. I see my reputation precedes me." The giddy smile that had been plastered onto her face a moment before lessened to a cool grin. "I'm Angelica. Angelica Rogner, but feel free to call me Angie, sweetie." She added a wink at the end.

"Angelica Rogner…" She mouthed the last word a few more times. "Rogner...Rogner...Oh!" Her eyes widened with realization. "Like Marquis Rogner of the Four Great Houses!"

"Yeah, the very same." She placed a hand on her chest. "I'm his only daughter. Course, he doesn't really want to have anything to do with me."

"Gee, I wonder why…" Crow snarked behind her.

"Oh, shut it, you!" Angelica snapped right back. "Wait, actually, scratch that. You still haven't finished your story yet."

"What WERE you guys talking about?" Morgan asked. "If you don't mind me asking."

"Okay, so there's this dude, right?" Crow began. "Noble from Class I or II with purple hair. He sees Gelica and starts following her. I was on my way to class, so I confronted him, but then he recognizes me as one of the guys who hangs around her, so he asked me, 'What does she find attractive in a man?' And you know what I said?" He started corpsing, but he forced himself to continue. "'She doesn't. She'd check out his girlfriend instead.'"

Both he and Angelica started howling. George and Towa, meanwhile, were less than enthusiastic.

"Crow, that's horrible!" Towa said. "You just turned him off! Don't you agree, George?"

"Honestly, I'm more resigned to the fact that that's totally something Angie would do…" he responded.

Morgan tilted her head to the side in confusion. "I'm not sure why it's funny, but from the sounds of it, Angelica, er…" She wondered how to best phrase her sentence without offending anyone. "Do you happen to...you know…"

"Swing that way?" the purple-haired woman bluntly asked. "Yes, and proudly so. Not to rag on men too much, but I personally find women to be much more tolerable to look at." She then clapped both her hands together in apology. "Hope you didn't mind me getting all hands-on earlier; sometimes when I see a cute face, I just can't help myself!"

"I-It's fine. I was just...surprised is all." Her glance drifted towards the only other female in the room. "Life must be tough, huh, President Towa?"

"Oh, it's not so bad," the petite president giggled. "Angie's a really great friend once you get to know her. She's helped me more times than I can count!"

"This coming from the hardworking student council president herself? I'm touched!" Angelica immediately went over to her friend and started cuddling with her. "Anything for you, my sweet, darling Towa."

"C-Come on, Angie…" Towa tried to pry the leather-clad female off of her, but Morgan noticed that the gesture was more friendly than forceful. "Not in front of our underclassman…!"

Morgan smiled. "So this is the gang, huh? You all seem pretty close. I have to admit, I'm a bit envious."

"What are you talking about?" Crow gave an odd look. "You've got your classmates, don't you? Plus, you work part-time for George, so you're basically one of us, too."

"You think so?" Morgan responded. "I mean, you all seem to be well acquainted with each other."

"That's just the result of a years' worth of effort," George assured her. "Can't exactly build something like trust overnight, you know?"

"Yeah, and it's not like class means anything to us," Crow added. "I mean, just take a look at Gelica! Her dad's one of the Empire's bigwigs, but she doesn't let social norms get in the way of her raging libido. No woman in Zemuria is safe from those grubby little hands, let me tell you."

"These grubby little hands'll send you to next week if you keep that up…" Angelica warned ominously, raising a fist.

"I wouldn't mind." Crow put his hands behind his head. "Gives me an excuse to miss that quiz in Mustache Man's class."

Morgan couldn't help but snort at that. "Mustache Man?"

Towa looked appalled. "Th-That's not a very nice thing to call Vice Principal Heinrich!"

George exhaled. "And now I can't unhear that."

"Hmm, maybe I should start calling him that too…" Angelica pondered.

"Not you too, Angie!"

A mental image of the vice principal appeared in Morgan's head. As the words "Mustache Man" started playing on repeat, she could feel her capacity to take him seriously slipping by the second.

"You can't build trust overnight…" Morgan mumbled to herself.

"Hey, speaking of nicknames!" Crow pointed his index finger at Morgan. "Morgs!"

She blinked in response. "Uh...what now?"

"Morgs!" Crow repeated. "I've been thinking about a nickname for you, and I came up with that! What do you think?"

A beat passed without anyone saying a word before Morgan said, "...No."

"Hey, you keep calling me names," he pointed out. "I gotta return the favor!"

She made a face and shook her head. "No, I mean, I don't like it."

"Doesn't stop you from calling me 'Trickster' all the time."

"At least I told why it made sense," she countered. "Yours sounds too much like the plural for 'morgue', and I'm not exactly the dreary type."

"I dunno…" Crow rubbed his chin. "You shot me down so many times, I feel kinda dead inside."

"Honestly, Crow…" Angelica piped up. "A girl's nickname should be cute and perky! It's gotta be something like…" She proceeded to start mumbling to herself.

"You don't have to come up with a nickname," Morgan said. "I'm fine with just Morgan."

"Morgie? No, that just defeats the purpose. Morgana? Nah, that's too long. Oh! I know!" Angelica mimicked Crow's gesture and pointed her index finger. "Let's call you Mona!"

Morgan blinked in response once again. "...Huh?"

"Yo, that's WAY too different from the original!" Crow pointed out.

"But it's shorter, cuter, and rolls off the tongue better," Angelica retorted. "You boys need to think outside the box when it comes to nicknames!"

"You took out the R and G."

"Ah, who needs 'em! You have to admit she's more of a Mona more than a Morgs."

"That...makes no sense."

The school bell rang loudly at that moment.

"Guess that's the end of lunch break," Angelica said. "We'll pick this up later. Been nice meeting you, Mona."

Morgan could only wave her hand good-bye as Angelica, still clad in leather, was the first person out the door.

"You got classes after this?" Crow asked her.

Morgan gave a playful sneer. "Actually, since we came back today, we're free for the rest of the afternoon."

"For real?" Crow's voice was dripping with jealousy. "Lucky ducks. Maybe if I sneak out now, Mustache Man won't notice-"

"Oh no you don't!" Towa suddenly appeared behind him. "If you miss any more than this, you won't be able to graduate by the end of this year! You're going to class, Crow, and that's final!"

To compound her statement further, Towa tried to push Crow to the exit, but due to the massive difference in their heights, it came across as more comical than threatening. Eventually, the taller of the two gave in and begrudgingly left the building.

"I gotta close up shop right now," George said. "It was nice of you to drop by when you could."

"No worries." Morgan raised her hand. "See you later, George!"

As she exited the Engineering Building, her ARCUS started ringing. She retrieved it and spoke into it. "Hello?"

" _Hello, Morgan. It's Machias,_ " said the person on the other end. " _Group B just came back, and we're all going to submit our group reports soon. But before that…"_ He paused for a moment. " _Well, we discussed this on the way back while you were asleep, and we felt it was necessary to go over certain parts of our report, so Rean called everyone to hold an emergency meeting. It would be best if you came here as soon as possible; I think Fie could use your moral support._ "

"Fie?" It took a few moments for everything to click. "So, that means you're going to tell them-"

" _Basically everything? That's right,_ " Machias affirmed. " _Actually, it was Fie's idea to tell them in the first place. She believed it was the best course of action to act honestly moving forward._ "

"...I'll be right there." Morgan hung up and immediately started running as fast as she could to the Class VII dorm. There was no way she was going to miss such a momentous occasion.

* * *

 **Machias**

Machias had secretly hoped that they could just say he and Jusis made up and be done with the meeting. But alas, as his father always put it, there are some things in life where you can't take the easy way out.

The meeting began in earnest once Morgan returned from her little errand. Group B did the honors of going first by describing the main event of their field study: as Sara had described briefly, they had discovered that the Imperial Army was making moves to improve their armaments and found themselves right in the center of a growing conflict between the armies of both factions.

"There were multiple points where a conflict was close to breaking out," Emma recounted. "Fortunately, Marquis Hyarms was able to keep everything under control."

"I was surprised at how willing he was to help us," Alisa added. "The field study tasks he gave us were placed deliberately out of harm's way so we could observe things from a safe distance."

"From the sounds of things, he seems like an affable person," Machias remarked. "Very different from the things I've heard about his son around school…"

"Regnitz, now is not the time to gossip behind people's backs," Jusis reprimanded him. "Though I must admit, I can't help but be envious that he has someone like the marquis as a father…"

"Jusis…" Machias, along with the rest of Group A, looked on with sympathy.

"Hey, if you don't mind me asking…" Elliot piped up. "Is it just me, or have the two of you...you know…"

"The air between them does seem to have cleared," Gaius said, sharing his friend's sentiment.

"In that case…" Morgan spoke. "I believe a physical demonstration is in order. Machias? Jusis? If you would?"

Machias blinked at the sound of his name. "W-Wait, what?"

Jusis looked just as surprised. "I don't recall this being part of the plan."

"Well, we may as well use this to transition into our report," Rean figured. "Just roll with it."

With Rean's approval, Machias locked eyes with Jusis and nodded. He held up his ARCUS, as did the younger Albarea, and together they created an ARCUS link with little trouble.

Group B looked very pleased with the results.

"You guys can link with each other now!" Alisa exclaimed.

"That's great!" Emma clapped her hands together with joy.

Gaius nodded with approval. "Congrats, you two."

"Allow me to extend my congratulations as well," Laura said with a chuckle.

"So how did you guys manage to do it?" Elliot asked. "If you don't mind me asking."

"Well, we're going to get to that." Rean looked to Fie, who silently replied with a small nod. "Unfortunately, the path leading up that wasn't exactly the easiest one…"

Group A recounted the notable events of their field study, from the failed attempt at linking that ended in Rean's injury to Machias's arrest by the provincial army to their eventual jailbreak that ended with their first successful battle. To say that their journey wasn't the easiest one was an understatement.

And when it came time to explaining how exactly they managed to bust Machias out of prison, Fie stood up and said her piece. "I did it. I was the one who broke him out."

"How did you manage to do that?" Gaius asked.

"With this." She procured from one of her pouches a small portable explosive and slid it across the table so Group B could have a look. "Can you guess what that is?"

Each of the students took their turns inspecting the circular disk. Emma looked bewildered by it, as did Gaius. Laura flipped the explosive over, surprised at the plasticity of the object, but nonetheless shook her head. Elliot...almost looked like he recognized it, but he didn't say anything as he handed it to Alisa.

"This material…" Alisa pressed against the object with her fingers and gave it a sniff. "Isn't this...Composition-4?"

"Composition…?" Emma looked even more perplexed.

"Otherwise known as C-4," Alisa explained. "It's a sort of plastic that's designed to stick onto any kind of surface. Normally, it's pretty harmless on its own, but when you combine it with a certain chemical agent…" She slid the disk across the table. "It becomes an all-purpose explosive."

The other members of Group B promptly displayed varying degrees of surprise on their faces.

"You're pretty sharp," Fie complimented her.

"I'm surprised you were able to deduce it so quickly," Jusis added.

"Uh, I come from Roer?" Alisa reminded everyone. "And the Reinford Company used to sell firearms? It's basically local knowledge. Yeah, that's it."

"Suuure…" For some reason, Fie remained unconvinced at Alisa's reason, almost as if she was silently accusing her of hiding something…

"Still, that begs the question…" Alisa continued. "What are you doing with something like that?"

"Old habits die hard," Fie bluntly stated. "Back when I used to fight all the time."

"What…?" Laura murmured.

And so, Fie told them the truth: for the past two months, all of them had been sharing a class with a jaeger. Well, FORMER jaeger now, but the effect was the same.

Machias looked at the members of the other group. Gaius remained stone-faced, as he usually did. Elliot looked like he was having difficulty processing the entire thing. Alisa looked troubled, but she still nodded regardless. Emma looked...surprisingly sympathetic, even impressed at the younger girl's courage to reveal her background.

That only left Laura, though from the looks of things she appeared rather impassive-wait.

It was only for a few moments, but Machias saw it: a very unpleasant scowl on the blue-haired noble's face. Then, just as easily as it appeared, it vanished.

He immediately looked to the other members of his group, but from the looks of it, neither of them had noticed.

'Was that just my imagination?' Machias thought to himself.

Just as Class VII had resolved one dispute among two of their members, another feud had seemingly come to take its place. And from the looks of things, resolving it would have to take far more than just finding common ground.

Machias recalled another phrase his father often used in situations like these: "out of the frying pan into the fire."

 **END OF CHAPTER 2**

* * *

 **Author's note: With that, another chapter comes to a close. Once again, thank you all for reading. If you liked what you read, feel free to give a favorite or a review. If you didn't...eh, I tried my best.**

 **I may as well say this right now: things from this point onward are going to get heated for certain characters. The first two arcs were more or less testing grounds for finding the right writing style, and now that they're done, I'm ready to go full-throttle into the next arc! Well, assuming IRL things don't screw me over.**

 **But before all of that happens, since we've the end of another arc, it's time for some more intermission chapters! The next chapter will slightly be on the exposition side to slow the pace down, but I'm sure it'll still find ways to blow you away all the same. Look forward to it!**

* * *

 **Rean**

The scene constantly played back in his mind. The way she threw the grenade into the air and borderline vanished from sight. The way she swiftly and professionally weaved around the armored canine and leaped into the air right as the thrown object reached its peak. The way she, simply put, made quick work of the monster like it was nothing.

It was most certainly not the cleanest way of doing things, but Rean didn't care about that. What DID matter was that Fie Claussell, at the current moment, could easily be the strongest member of Class VII provided that she had a reason to try.

If Rean was ever going to match something like Fie's "Sylphid Dance", then he needed to become even stronger...even faster.

But there was also a catch: he also wanted to get stronger on his own terms.

After seeing his classmate's full power, something inside him sparked. Perhaps this was a result of that competitive streak Morgan had highlighted at the beginning of their field study, but Rean was motivated. Motivated to return to the path of the blade.

Rummaging through the trunk in his closet which he had used to move certain valuables from home to the academy, he found what he was looking for: a thin, cylindrical case. He unsealed the top and tipped the cylinder so its contents were spilled, catching the scroll with his free hand.

He was probably the least qualified person to ever take up the sword, but the reason he had done so in the first place had reignited again. With that reason burning stronger than it's ever been, he opened the scroll and began to review its contents carefully.

Rean wanted to become stronger on his own terms.

If he could become stronger in his current form, he wouldn't have to resort to using his power again.


	23. Intermission - Gale Force

"Yah!"

"Hiyah!"

Rean's tachi clashed with Laura's bastard sword.

"You've gotten stronger," Laura remarked.

Rean flashed a grin. "Coming from you, that's a compliment."

"Then how will you respond to this?"

Abruptly, Laura jumped backwards to break away from the clash. As soon as her feet touched the ground, she jumped high into the air with her sword poised to make a downwards swing.

Rean knew that he had no chance of withstanding the attack head-on, so he momentarily withdrew, leaving Laura to strike empty ground.

An idea started to form in Rean's head. 'Maybe if I try that form…'

He changed his stance so his knees and left elbow were slightly bent and his sword arm was by his side. After a few moments of concentration, he leapt forward, hoping to catch Laura off guard.

Unfortunately, Rean wasn't quick enough. The moment he brought his tachi forward, it clanged with Laura's blade. Having entered a defensive stance, the blue-haired swordswoman easily parried his attack and knocked his sword out of his hands.

"That's the match!" Morgan shouted from the steps of the Old Schoolhouse with her hand raised. "You almost had her, Rean!"

Rean sighed in concession. "I guess I still have a ways to go before I can use that in an actual fight…"

"I don't think I've ever seen that particular stance before," Laura remarked. "Is it perhaps a different form of the Eight Leaves?"

He nodded as he retrieved his tachi. "Yeah, it is."

"Does that mean that you've overcome your slump?"

"Well, I'm not sure if I've completely overcome it," Rean clarified, "but I'm finally starting to pick up where I left off. This past field study helped me realize that if I'm going to keep up with the rest of you, I need to start taking things seriously again." He gave her an earnest smile. "In a way, I've got you guys to thank for getting me back on track."

Laura chuckled lowly, returning a smile of her own. "Even if our contributions were small, I'm glad we were able to play a part in assisting you."

"Stance? Form?" Rean and Laura looked to their confused classmate. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, sorry. I'm guessing since you don't use a sword, you wouldn't know about those," Rean figured. "Basically, I tried using a different technique from the Eight Leaves One Blade school."

"By 'different technique', you mean something that's different from your Autumn Leaf Cutter?"

"That's right. It's sort of difficult to explain, but if you want, I can give you a basic explanation my sword style."

"Ooh! Yes, please!" Morgan practically jumped at the opportunity. "I can never pass up a chance to learn something new."

"I must admit, I am also curious," Laura added. "However, is it wise for a student of the Sword Hermit to casually disclose his master's secrets?"

"Well, you aren't wrong about that," Rean conceded. "But if we're being honest, the Eight Leaves school takes inspiration from several well-known Eastern styles of combat. Anyone can learn about those without Master Ka-Fai's guidance. Think of this as a sales pitch for the school, and if you want to learn more about how everything works, you can join it."

"I see." Laura nodded in understanding. "Then I will also partake in listening to this...sales pitch."

"Alright. Though, before we start…" He looked at both of his classmates. "Do any of you have something to write with, by any chance?"

"A writing utensil?" Laura shook her head. "I'm afraid I don't."

"I do." Morgan retrieved a small notepad and pencil. from one of her pouches. "It's not much, but at least it's handy."

"That's perfect, thanks." He took the objects from Morgan's hands and started flipping through the notepad for a blank page. "Wow, you wrote down a lot of stuff," he commented.

"I like to experiment with tactical orbments in my own time." Morgan puffed out her chest with pride. "You could say it's my way of training!"

Eventually, Rean found a blank page and proceeded to list the eight forms of the Eight Leaves One Blade school. Additionally, each form was preceded by one or two foreign characters. Once he was finished writing, Rean showed Laura and Morgan what he wrote.

螺旋 - Helix  
疾風 - Gale  
業炎 - Karmic Flame  
紅葉 - Autumn Leaf  
残月 - Morning Moon  
緋空 - Scarlet Sky  
無 - Void  
無手 - Weaponless

"These are all of the forms that make up the Eight Leaves One Blade school," he said. "The core of the school is comprised of different martial techniques originating from the East, as I mentioned earlier. However, only those who receive instruction from Yun Ka-Fai, also known as the Sword Hermit, can draw out their true effects. All students are taught the basis for these forms when they first start out at the Beginner level. From that point onward, they can choose one of the first seven forms to study and eventually master."

Laura nodded in understanding. "So you must master the fundamentals first before learning more advanced techniques. Am I correct in assuming that choosing to study one form does not limit you from learning techniques from the others?"

"That's correct," Rean affirmed. "There's a reason it's called 'Eight Leaves One Blade'; once you learn one form, it's possible to apply the concepts learned from that form to use the rest. The basis for the sixth form, for instance, involves building up enough force to attack someone from afar using your sword. Since I'm already familiar with using the fourth form…"

Rean handed Morgan her notepad and turned away from her and Laura. With his tachi in its sheath, he adopted his familiar stance and prepared to draw his sword. Focusing a fraction of his energy onto his weapon, he drew it with enough force to send an arc-shaped wave in front of him. He also deliberately aimed it lower to the ground so the wave would eventually hit the earth.

"...I can use that as a basis to use the sixth form."

"So it's like...mixing and matching different stances and skills together to get different results?" Morgan asked.

Rean sheathed his tachi. "You could call it that, though right now I'm still in the process of applying all the concepts my master taught me. It'll take a while before I can start combining different forms, let alone choose a path of my own, though there is one exception to that."

"And that would be…?"

"The eighth form, which involves fighting with no weapons." Rean adopted a fighting stance with both hands open, one hand in front and the other beside him. "This is in the event where we lose our weapon and have to fight empty-handed. Students are expected to train with and without a weapon regardless of what form they decide to master."

"It definitely makes sense…" Morgan murmured to herself. "Hey, Rean? Do you know about a technique called blade grasping?"

Rean didn't recognize the name. "Blade...what-ing?"

"You know, where you can grab a sword by clapping your hands? Like this?" She gave a demonstration by bending her elbows and clapping her hands above her head.

"Oooh, now I know what you're referring to." Rean shrugged his shoulders. "I've seen my master use it a few times, but he never showed me how to do that, so I'm assuming it's an advanced skill. I'm surprised you know about it."

"Well, you did say that you don't need the Eight Leaves school to know about those techniques," she joked. "But moving back on track, which of the forms are the ones you think you know the best?"

"Which ones I know best?" Rean repeated. "Well, I'm sure this comes as no surprise, but the fourth form, Autumn Leaf, is the one I use the most. It was the first form I learned successfully, so it's sort of a comfort pick for me. From there, the next one I would say I know best would be the sixth form, and there's enough similarities between the fourth and fifth forms for me to know how to use the latter. And finally…" He paused for a moment. "I understand enough of the third form to replicate some of its stronger techniques, but I was introduced to it around the time I first stopped training, so I'm hesitant to say that I've actually learned it."

Morgan glanced at her notepad. "It says that the third form is Karmic Flame…oh." She connected the dots fairly quickly. "Your Flame Slash."

Rean nodded. "I can't go too much into detail on how it's done, but the reason it's called Karmic Flame is because the way the fire manifests itself differs from person to person. There can be good flames as well as evil flames, so if mishandled properly, the power could overwhelm you."

"A high amount of risk to offset a high reward," Laura commented. "I assume that is why you refrain from using your strongest attack for the most part."

"Yeah…" Rean clenched his fist and grimaced. "That's one reason for it."

Laura looked like she wanted to ask more, but after noticing his expression, she abstained her comment and switched the subject. "So, the technique you attempted during our spar…"

"...It belonged to a form I haven't used before," Rean finished. "Specifically, the second form, Gale. It's supposed to allow the user to close the gap between them and their opponent in an instant, almost like they were one with the wind."

"Supposed to?" Morgan asked.

"Well, I'm still in the process of figuring out how to do that," he admitted. "I've seen how my master used it, and it's just...there's just such a notable difference in our speed that I can't help but feel I'm missing something important. I know what to do; I'm just having trouble figuring out the how…"

Rean lost himself in thought for a moment, trying to look for possible solutions to his current roadblock, until he heard Morgan ask a very peculiar question.

"Hey, you mind if I see your sword for a sec?"

Rean looked at his classmate, confused. Laura was similarly perplexed by her question. 'I guess it can't hurt for her to have a look…' He unsheathed his tachi and offered it to Morgan, who took it with careful hands. She closely inspected the blade before turning around and taking a few practice swings.

"It's light," she remarked. "Feels like I'm cutting through air."

"It was forged with quick, precise swings in mind," Rean said. "It's really sharp, so be careful."

With a small nod, Morgan held the sword in an upright position with both hands on the handle. Then, she lowered her head, exhaled through her mouth, and maintained her position.

"Um…Morgan?"

Morgan didn't respond.

"Could it be that she put us out of tune?"

Rean looked at Laura oddly. "You mean, 'tuned us out'?"

"O-Oh, is that what it is?" For once, Laura's stoic demeanor faltered. "My apologies for saying that wrong."

Rean couldn't resist cracking a smile. 'She's cute when she's embarrassed…'

Quickly shaking the thought off his mind, Rean inched closer to Morgan, who still had not moved from her position. Upon closer inspection, he observed that her eyes were closed and her breaths were low yet deep.

'Is she...concentrating?'

Before he could think any further, Morgan's eyes slowly opened as she raised the tachi slightly. Then, with a grunt, she forcefully brought the sword back down. As she did, a gust of wind suddenly burst forth around her, catching Rean and Laura off guard.

"Keep your eyes open!"

Rean wasn't sure who Morgan was talking to, but he kept his eyes open regardless. She brought his sword to her side and bent her knees. Then, in the blink of an eye, she dashed forward at lightning speed, leaving a trail of dust and grass in her wake, before skidding to a halt and slashing horizontally. Immediately after, she crouched down and performed a rising upwards strike that Rean recognized as her "Dolphin Slash" attack, with the only difference being that she gained significantly more height than what was normally possible. Eventually, gravity took its hold her and she started falling back to the ground, but instead of sticking the landing, she touched down with a sloppy somersault and collapsed into a tired heap.

"M-Morgan?!" Rean and Laura went to kneel by their fallen classmate. Considering how far she fell, she looked surprisingly no worse for wear; however, her heavy breathing indicated that her last attack had left her exhausted.

"Huh…" Morgan panted. "Didn't think that was actually going to work."

"What was that technique?" Laura demanded to know. "I have never seen anything like it!"

"You and me both." Rean retrieved his tachi, which Morgan had dropped when she landed.

"It's…I guess it's…" Morgan was struggling to speak as she breathed heavily. "Sort of like an...improvised skill?"

"Improvised…"

"...Skill?"

"Okay, how do I explain this…" Morgan murmured as Rean and Laura helped to move her over to a nearby bench so she could rest. "Do you two remember our first field study? The fight against the giant bird?"

Laura nodded. "That I do. If memory serves correctly, its name was the Zwordar, correct?"

"You put in a lot of extra work during that fight," Rean recalled. "I was surprised that you were able to kill all those monsters and still have enough energy to act as a diversion."

"That's the thing," their classmate said. "I was able to last that long because I had accumulated a lot of excess energy from killing that group of smaller monsters."

"You...accumulated energy?" Laura looked even more intrigued. "I'm afraid I don't quite understand."

Morgan held both her hands up. "Say two people are fighting, right? What usually happens is that one person attacks, the other either tanks the hit or dodges, then responds with an attack of their own." She moved her hands in tandem with her words to represent two people fighting. "Let's call that the equivalent of one turn on the person who initiated the exchange. For me, if I manage to defeat my opponent before the end of the turn, I get rewarded with a rush of energy that allows me to act again. That way, I can take a unit down and then back out of harm's way, or I can simply move on to another opponent."

"So you attack an enemy, and every time you defeat one, you're rewarded with an...energy rush that allows you to move again?" Rean recited.

"Yeah, that's right." Morgan nodded. "That's the basic application for my skill, but…"

"You refer to it as a skill…" Laura interrupted. "However, it doesn't sound like anything I've ever heard of. Where did you learn such a technique? Did someone teach you?"

"Whoa, now. One question at a time please!" Morgan waved her hands frantically. "First off, you're right. I call it a 'skill', but it's probably different from the kind of skill you guys are familiar with. Second, it isn't really something that can be taught; it just sort of...happens." She shrugged her shoulders. "Heck, these days it doesn't even activate half the time unless I'm on my own."

"So what does that have to do with what you did just now?" Rean questioned.

"I'm glad you asked! I was just getting to that. Theoretically, all the energy that I gather up gets used up after taking another action, whether it's through retreating or attacking, but that's all within the confines of combat as a series of turns, or turn-based combat, as it were."

"But didn't you say-" Rean was about to say.

"I know what I said," Morgan interjected. "I used that to explain how my skill works on paper. The problem is, real life doesn't always work that way. Sometimes you defeat an opponent with only a weak stab and you're awarded with energy that's proportional to a jumping attack. Sometimes you get rewarded with two turns' worth of energy just for slaying two enemies with one swing. Basically, there are times when I receive more energy than I spend. When that happens...well, it's not like I have to use up all that energy at once, so I just let it store up over time. Eventually…"

"I get it." Rean stroked his chin. "Basically, all that extra energy gets stored up as potential energy that you can use at a later time. When that happens, it results in a burst of kinetic energy that increases your body's overall performance, hence that increase in speed."

"Furthermore, if we are to continue observing this from a turn-based perspective…" Laura continued. "Expending excess energy at the start of a turn would result in the strength of the ensuing onslaught equating to at least two times the normal amount."

Morgan opened her mouth to speak, but then she stopped to think. "Actually...yeah, that does make sense…"

"You mean you don't know?" Rean half-exclaimed.

"Well, this is the first time I've actually tried it, like, ever," she answered. "Everything's still conjecture at this point; that's why it took me so long to try it. I'd do more testing if I could, but every time I do it I...you know…"

"Ah…" Laura nodded in understanding, as did Rean. Putting in all of one's energy into one attack would certainly put a lot of strain on the body, not too mention it would leave very little room for error in a practical fight.

Then, a question popped into Rean's head. "So, why are you showing it now?"

"Ah, that's right." Morgan looked like she had almost forgotten the reason she had performed her feat in the first place. "You said you were having trouble figuring out what to do with your second form. I thought that by showing you something similar, I could, you know...inspire you with a possible solution?"

"Inspire me…?"

She nodded. "See, my skill has a name. It's called Galeforce."

"Gale… Force?"

"No, Galeforce," Morgan corrected him. "One name. Singular. There's a difference. Normally, it functions as a supporting ability, but I was able to improvise so it could become a combat technique instead. To do that, I gathered all the energy I had collected up to this point and used it to briefly enhance my body's capabilities. In doing so, I was able to cross a certain distance at very high speeds." She crossed her arms. "Sound familiar?"

Within moments of her saying that, everything clicked in Rean's mind. "So you're saying that…"

"Well, I'm not sure if that's the solution your master is looking for," Morgan admitted, "but from the looks of things, I'm guessing the second form can't be performed the same way as the fourth or sixth forms. Instead of focusing your energy outwards to boost your attack like how you did with those forms, maybe you can, I don't know, direct it inwards this time?"

"Direct it inwards…" The more Rean thought about Morgan's conjecture, the more it made sense. The ultimate goal for the other forms was to build up enough focus to empower the next attack or perform a certain technique. When looked at from an objective standpoint, it was clear that the second form, Gale, didn't similarly fall into those same categories. The objective of the form was simply to close the gap between an opponent as quickly as possible; the strength of the attack was merely secondary compared to the practitioner's movements. Though with that said, if a person was moving fast enough, the strength of their attack would already be amplified since a change to a greater acceleration naturally leads to a greater force.

"It's definitely worth a shot." He nodded at Morgan. "I'll be sure to try that next time. Thanks, Morgan."

"Don't mention it!" With that, she jumped up from the bench and landed on wobbly legs. She would have fallen over were it not for Rean and Laura catching her.

"You mustn't be so careless in your movements," Laura scolded her. "Especially not when you're still visibly fatigued."

Morgan laughed in response. "Wow, this really IS a blast from the past! You told me to watch myself back then, too."

"I'm being serious, Morgan."

The black-haired girl relented and stood upright on her own. "Yes, Mother…"

Rean couldn't help but chuckle to himself at that. Considering how close Laura had been keeping an eye on Morgan's performance, he supposed it wasn't too hard to envision their relationship being like that of a parent and child. "Anyways, we should start heading back. The sun's starting to set. Thanks again for staying behind to referee our match."

"It was my pleasure!" Morgan bowed slightly while her left arm made a curtsying motion, making her gesture something of an odd cross between the two. "I wonder what's on the menu tonight."

"Alisa and Fie are on cooking duty this week, right?" Rean recalled. "I'm just as curious as you are. But before we go, Morgan, could I borrow your notepad again?"

"Huh? Oh, sure." Morgan retrieved her notepad and pencil and gave them to Rean. He flipped to the page where he had listed the eight forms of the Eight Leaves One Blade school. Underneath the small list, he wrote down four foreign characters and drew an arrow that connected it from the second form.

"My master had a phrase to describe the ultimate goal of the second form." He showed Morgan and Laura the characters he had written:

"疾風迅雷"

"Shippujinrai," he read. "'As swift as the wind and as sudden as thunder.' From the looks of things, I think you've already accomplished that."

"Shippujinrai." Morgan's lips curved into a smile as she read it. "It has a nice ring to it."

"Are students of the Eight Leaves school expected to understand Eastern calligraphy as well?" Laura queried.

"To an extent," Rean replied. "My master often had me paint characters on large pieces of paper to practice precision and patience. After that, learning to recognize certain characters came naturally."

"So the Sword Hermit employs unorthodox methods to train his students…" The blue-haired swordswoman chuckled at the revelation. "Fascinating. Simply hearing about your experiences has made me even more eager to learn about it."

"Does that mean we can expect the daughter of the Radiant Blademaster to join our school?" he joked.

"A tempting offer…" Laura mused with a grin. "However, my loyalty will always remain with the Arseid school."

"Well, it was worth asking…" He then turned to his other female classmate. "What about you, Morgan? Care to give swords a try?"

She replied with an awkward chuckle. "Yeah...not happening. We've already got enough sword users in our class."

Laura gave her an odd look. "I fail to see how that is an issue. You already seem to possess an understanding of the basic fundamentals. In fact, I would wager that using a sword would benefit your fighting style more. With enough practice…"

"I have my reasons," Morgan hastily interrupted. "Maybe sometime later down the line, I'll give it a shot, but for now, I want to stick with axes and lances."

"And I'm guessing you won't be telling us why?" Rean asked to make sure.

Morgan nodded and made a zipping motion with her hands towards her mouth. "Lips. Sealed."

Truth be told, there were several things Rean wanted to ask Morgan, like where she learned her Galeforce skill or whether there was some other reason she seemed averse to using swords, but then again, it wasn't like he was any better at disclosing his own secrets. Prodding any further would be hypocritical on his part.

"If that is her decision, then I suppose we can't force her," Laura complied. "But at the very least, you are welcome to join us for our training sessions if you so desire."

"Provided George doesn't have any jobs for me, I don't see why not." Morgan shrugged. "By the way, Rean?"

"Yeah?"

"If you wanted to know what it would feel like to be one with the wind, couldn't you have asked Gaius?"

Rean cracked a smile, envisioning how he would go about doing such a thing. "As much as Gaius likes talking about the wind, I'm not sure if spiritualism can help with this gale."

Morgan gave a playful sneer. "Can't hurt to give it a try, right?"

"Well, I guess you're right…"

The three of them continued their long trek to the dorm, all the while making small talk on their various fighting styles. When they entered the dorm, they made their way to the dining room, where most of the other classmates were already gathered. Today's dinner was salad paired with potato soup and…

"Is that Kirsche's pizza?" Morgan asked.

"Hey. You're back." Fie raised her hand to greet them. "And technically, it's flatbread."

"Flatbread…" Morgan looked unconvinced. "Flatbread that just so happens to be circular, is covered in tomato sauce and cheese, has a raised crust, and looks like it came out of a brick oven?"

"There's fruit on it," Fie pointed out the sliced apples that were scattered throughout the dish. "Can't forget the fruit."

"Your point?"

"It looks like it's restaurant quality, but the fruit makes it completely fall apart," commented Machias. "No store would have the gall to serve this."

"You must admit, it does make for an interesting change of pace," added Emma. "It's very...Fie-like."

Morgan left her jaw hanging open for a moment before mumbling to herself, "They're fools…"

"Want to give it a try?" Fie cut a piece of flatbread and handed it to Morgan, who didn't hesitate to take a bite. "Well?"

Morgan chewed slowly, with the sound of the apples making an audible crunch in her mouth. Eventually, she swallowed, gave Fie the biggest smile she could muster, and said, "Fie, Fie."

The silver-haired girl tilted her head in confusion. "Huh?"

"It means, 'It's disgusting, Fie.'"

Instead of being disheartened, Fie replied with a dry smirk. "Glad to hear it."

"C-Come on, Morgan…" Though Fie had taken it in stride, Alisa was still slightly appalled at Morgan's honesty. "If you don't like it, you can always scrape the apples into the salad."

"I think I'll do that. I prefer fruit salad to fruit pizza anyday."

"Flatbread," Fie insisted.

"Whichever!" Morgan handed Rean and Laura each a plate. "You two are joining us, right?"

"Yeah, we are," Rean responded.

He and Laura set aside their belongings and went to retrieve some food. Rean was served a portion of salad and a slice of flatbread with no qualms, but when it came to Laura's turn…

"...What?"

Laura was looking at her with an impassive, silent glare.

"If you've got something to say, spill it."

Eventually, the blue-haired swordswoman gave her response: "Scales need not fall from my face for me to understand your ruse."

"...The only word I understood from that was 'ruse'."

"Then you understand enough."

Rean looked on in silence. 'It's like Machias and Jusis all over again…'

"You've noticed it too, haven't you?"

He turned to Alisa, who had finished pouring him a bowl of potato soup.

"Yeah…" Rean took the bowl. "They've been like this since the beginning of the month, but I can't put my finger on what caused them to act this way. Do you know?"

She shook her head. "Not really, and I haven't worked the courage to ask them either…"

Rean hummed to himself and took a sip of the soup. To his surprise, it was cold.

"H-Hey! You should sit down if you want to drink that!" Alisa said.

"Sorry…" Rean apologized. "I couldn't help but notice that the bowl wasn't hot. It's really good, though!"

"R-Really?" Alisa's eyes lit up.

He nodded. "I'm not used to potato soup being cold, but this is really delicious."

"W-Well, um…" Alisa looked away, a blush coloring her face. "Glad you enjoyed it! Also, it's not potato soup. It's called vichyssoise."

"Fishy what?"

"Vichyssoise," she said again. "That's just the name of the dish, according to Sharon."

"Who's Sharon?"

"She's, uh…" Alisa started fumbling over her own words. "A family friend of mine! Who likes to cook! She sent over a recipe from Roer for me to try!"

"Huh." Rean looked at the white-colored soup in his bowl. "Must be a close friend if she's willing to give you a recipe."

"Yeah, she really is…" Alisa poured another bowl of soup. "Here you go, Laura! Sorry for the wait."

"No need for apologies," Laura replied calmly. "But I must inquire: Alisa, what would you call a soup made from onions?"

"That would be onion soup, but…"

"Then fundamentally, is this not the same as potato soup?"

Given Laura's friendly tone, Rean figured that she was probably jesting, but it seemed that Alisa didn't quite catch on. "Were you not listening? It's called vichyssoise!"

"Hey, Morgan!" Fie yelled abruptly. "What would you call this soup?"

Morgan, who had yet to try it, took a sip and responded from across the room, "Tastes like potato soup!"

Needless to say, Alisa was not amused. "Why won't any of you call it what it is?"

Rean and Laura shared a laugh at their classmate's expense. Fie looked about ready to start laughing as well, but then she locked eyes with Laura once again, and her face returned to the same stoic visage it always wore.

'A rising knight and a former jaeger…' Rean compared in his mind. 'I have the feeling that this is going to be a tough one…'

* * *

 **Author's note:** **This chapter more or less functions as an explanation on how I'm going about incorporating certain elements from Fire Emblem into this story. In this case, it answers the question of how Skills work. As Morgan herself mentioned, it normally wouldn't be too bad if things stayed in a turn-based environment, but since I'm treating combat as something that happens in real time in this story, some creative liberties have to be taken to make it work. Basically, they still exist and function as normal, but since Morgan's been transported to a different universe, any skills that were carried over would behave a bit differently in this new environment. Why Galeforce? Well, Morgan had it during my playthrough of _Awakening_ , so I wanted to keep it as a little nod.**

 **Now for the details. For Galeforce, I decided to make it so that it will activate after Morgan defeats ANY enemy, which rewards her with a set amount of energy that allows her to act again. Observant readers may have noticed that this "rush of energy" has been around since the second chapter. There is no limit to how many times it can activate, but there's a catch: it will only activate if Morgan is not linked up with someone via an ARCUS (similar to its _Fates_ iteration where it won't activate if a unit is paired up). As for Morgan's new technique, I looked to _Fire Emblem Warriors_ for inspiration and based it off of Marth and Celica's basic Strong attack, with the difference being that it uses up excess energy accumulated from Galeforce instead of light orbs and only has one use. This application may come off as a stretch, not to mention that Galeforce doesn't stack in _Fire Emblem_ , but it was one of the ways I felt could best show that this is taking place in a different universe; Morgan's in a different world, so there are new rules she gets to play by. Plus, I figured that since Morgan is technically Marth's descendant in this story, she would be able to use a technique similar to that of the Hero-King, albeit less refined. Fortunately, the rest of the skills I have planned for Morgan are fairly straightforward in comparison and will be shown in due time.**

 **Another thing I provided my own explanation on was Rean's Eight Leaves One Blade sword style. Most of it was drawn from what little information there is in the games and on the wiki page, but I also added some headcanons of mine. The "Shippujinrai" part is wholly original and largely serves as a language joke, since the Japanese name for Galeforce is...Shippujinrai. Of course, Morgan doesn't know about this.**

 **Lastly, the scene with the pizza is indeed a reference to a certain meme while the scene with the vichyssoise (yes, that's the actual name) is taken from a skit in _Tales of Vesperia_. I've been playing the latter a lot recently and after I came across that skit, I just had to incorporate it somewhere while Class VII still has to cook for themselves.**

 **That's all for this chapter. A bit long for an intermission chapter, but I still hope you enjoyed it regardless. If you didn't...eh, I tried. See you all next time, and I hope those of you who have bought _Fire Emblem Three Houses_ are enjoying it! ****ｖ(⌒ｏ⌒)ｖ**


	24. Intermission - The Sound of Rainfall

"...After that, we were saved by the timely appearance of our instructor and board director and got treated to a fancy dinner for our troubles. We returned to Trista the following morning." Morgan paused to take a breath. "And that's my trip to Bareahard in a nutshell! Totally normal and uneventful, right?"

"Oh, I'll say." Misty took a sip of peppermint tea. "You're, what, two for two on being in the center of crazy things during your field studies? Honestly, you've seen more things in the span of two months than some of my colleagues have in years!"

"What can I say? Sometimes I think the whole world is out to get me." Morgan sighed into her coffee. "I must be cursed…"

"Maybe you are. And believe me, I know a few things about curses."

"Really?"

"Probably not the same kind of curse you're thinking about, though," Misty answered vaguely. "By the way, sorry if I'm barging in on your private life, but have you been getting enough sleep lately?"

"Huh?" Morgan was slightly confused by the radio hostess's question. "Actually, I have been staying up later. Why do you ask?"

"Well, your hair's looking a little messier than usual," the radio hostess pointed out. "I was wondering how you managed to grow a cowlick since the last time we met."

"Is it really that bad?" Morgan patted the top of her hair.

"Eh, don't sweat it. It's kind of cute, in a way." Misty giggled to herself. "So? Care to explain why you're staying up? You haven't been going out into town late at night, have you?"

Morgan shook her head. "Midterms are coming up."

"Oh." Misty nodded understandingly. "I guess it IS that time of year."

"Yeeeup."

"The bane of students everywhere?"

"Mhmm."

"And how've you been keeping up with your studies?"

"Things aren't too bad, all things considered," Morgan answered. "I have my strong and weak points, though."

"Don't we all?" Misty smirked. "Now that I think about it, it's been a while since the last time I picked up a textbook."

"What was your favorite subject?"

"Well, I've always had a soft spot for the finer arts like music," she replied. "But you know what my best subject was? Erebonian history."

That surprised Morgan. "Really?"

"Uh-huh. Bet you weren't expecting that, did you?"

"Pop quiz!" Morgan announced. "When did Emperor Dreichels bring the War of the Lions to an end?"

Not even a few seconds later, Misty gave her answer: "July 952."

"Not bad." Morgan nodded, impressed that the radio hostess got the right answer. "Guess you've still got it."

Misty gave a mock bow in her chair. "Well, there are a few tricks to it. Case in point, there's an old legend that mentions it was raining in Heimdallr when Dreichels went to liberate it, but the moment he set foot into the capital, the rain stopped. Incidentally, July is usually when the rainy season stops around these parts, so it all adds up."

"Interesting…" Morgan remarked. "Did that really happen?"

She shrugged. "Who knows? You'll have to ask someone who lived through all that. The point is, finding little stories that relate to what you know can help improve your history experience."

"That's a neat trick. I'll be sure to try that."

"Oh, and speaking of rain…" Misty looked out the window. "Something tells me we're going to get a downpour later today."

"But it's sunny right now," Morgan remarked. Indeed, the sky was clear without a cloud in the sky.

"Just because it's sunny now doesn't mean it'll stay that way," the bespectacled woman said. "You might want to go back to your dorm and grab your umbrella."

"How come you sound so sure?" Morgan wondered.

"Call it a woman's intuition." Misty adjusted her glasses by the corner. "Trust me on this one."

"Well, I guess I still have some time before first period…" Morgan finished her coffee and left some mira on the counter. "'A good tactician has nothing to fear', right?"

"Have a nice day at school." Misty waved Morgan good-bye as she headed for the exit. "Enjoy this calm before the storm approaches…"

* * *

"Well, what do you know?" Morgan remarked, looking out the window. "It really did start raining."

As Misty had forecasted, the clear weather that had been present earlier had seemingly vanished. Rain pelted the windows of the classroom and the sky was blanketed with gray clouds.

"Focus, Morgan…" Machias said.

"Right." Morgan turned her direction back to the question at hand. "If you bite something and you die, it's poisonous. If that something bites you and you die, it's venomous."

"Not the way I would have worded it, but that's the basic idea." Machias was about to ask the next quiz question when he noticed Elliot raising his hand. "Yes? Do you have a question, Elliot?"

"What if I bite it and it dies?" he asked.

"Then that would mean that you're venomous." He then saw another person raise their hand. "Yes, Fie?"

"What if it bites itself and I die?"

"I'm not sure that's relevant…"

"But to answer your question, Fie…" Emma piped up. "That would be voodoo. It's an ancient ritual commonly associated with witches and shamans. I read about it in a book once."

Alisa raised her hand, looking to continue the trend. "What if something bites me and someone else dies?"

"That's correlation, not causation," Gaius responded. "Just because something happened to you does not necessarily mean that it can apply to someone else."

"What if we bit each other and neither of us die?" Rean asked without being called on.

"I believe we have crossed enough lines as is." Jusis shook his head in exasperation. "I'll ask the next question: 'The Middle Ages' War of the Lions was brought to an end by Emperor Dreichels. When and where did the war end?'" He looked to the person sitting to the right of Morgan. "Would you care to give us an answer, Gaius?"

"Hmm…" Gaius, whose weakest subject was Erebonian history, took a moment to think. "I know the where: the last place Dreichels liberated on his journey was the capital of Heimdallr. I'm having trouble remembering the when…" Disgruntled that he couldn't remember the date, he gave a guess. "Is it August 952?"

"You were close," Jusis said. "The correct answer was July in the year 952 of the Septian Calendar."

"I can't memorize things like this…" Fie offhandedly commented. "It's all pointless in the end."

"F-Fie, that seems a little harsh…" Emma responded. "You know, there's a trick I learned to remembering this one. July is usually around the time the rainy season ends, right? Well, according one legend-"

"It was raining when Dreichels came to liberate Heimdallr, but when he set foot into the capital, the rain stopped," Morgan recited. "Was that what you were about to say, Emma?"

Emma looked genuinely shocked, which was a rare sight to see. "How do you know about that?"

Morgan shrugged. "A friend of mine told me about it. Guess it's a well-known legend?"

The bespectacled class president cleared her throat to compose herself. "R-Right, I'm sure that must be it…"

"Well, that was the last question I had planned," Machias said, calling everyone to attention. "If anyone has anything else they want to ask, speak now or forever hold your peace."

No one did, so Machias promptly adjourned the group study session.

"I have to say, studying in a large group like this makes for a nice change of pace," Alisa remarked. "It's a shame Laura wasn't able to join us."

"She said that she wanted to do some studying by herself," Rean recounted. "I wonder where she is now."

"If she's not in another classroom, then maybe she's in the library?" Emma guessed.

As the other students discussed Laura's whereabouts, Morgan caught a glimpse of their youngest member slipping out the door without them knowing. She hastily grabbed her belongings and followed her classmate.

"Fie, wait!" Morgan called out to the former jaeger. "Are you heading back to the dorm?"

Fie shook her head. "Just heading down to the infirmary."

"The infirmary?" Morgan half-exclaimed. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Just want to nap," she replied. "Studying wears me out. It's raining outside, so I'll borrow one of the beds."

"Is that okay with Instructor Beatrix?"

"She lets me do it all the time."

"Alright, then…" If there was one person that could be trusted with watching over a sleeping student, it was most certainly the school nurse. "Just make sure she wakes you up in time for dinner."

Fie nodded dejectedly.

"Something else on your mind?" Morgan asked.

"...Laura's the one who should've been there, not me."

"Fie…" Morgan frowned. "You shouldn't say things like that in public."

"But it's true," Fie insisted. "If I had left first, she would've stayed around. The study session would've been more productive if someone like me wasn't there-"

"Fie." Morgan put her hands on the younger student's shoulders. "We talked about this, right? Even though our pasts make us different from the others, what matters right now is that we're trying to improve ourselves in the present. There's no shame in being honest about asking for help."

"Maybe for you," she said. "Some people just don't see it that way."

"If this is about Laura, then I'm sure she'll understand-"

"It's not just her," Fie interrupted. "Listen, I overheard some nobles the other day. They were talking about how a murderer was on the loose in the school. It won't be long until everyone else knows. When that happens…"

Morgan looked to the left, to the right, and behind her. Then, she lowered herself to Fie's height and whispered, "Fie, do you trust us?"

The silver-haired girl pursed her lips before nodding her head.

"Then try to have a little more faith in us. I mean, have you seen our roster?" Morgan began to list the members of their class. "We have two sword fanatics, two of the academy's smartest students, a son of one of the Four Great Houses, an out-of-place musician, a foreign exchange student, an orbal science expert with a letter for a last name, and an alcoholic for a homeroom teacher. We're pretty much a stirring pot for all sorts of rumors."

Fie snorted. "Well, when you put it like that…"

"The point is, singling yourself out will only add to the problem; that's why it's more important than ever to stick with us. Show them that you're different than what they think you are, because I know you're more than just a jaeger, and I'm sure others will come to realize that in due time." Morgan looked around her to make sure there wasn't anyone in the surrounding vicinity who may have heard that last part. "Can you at least sleep on that?"

After a brief period of silence, Fie relented. " _Ja_."

"Good girl." Morgan stood up straight and patted Fie's head. "Now don't go causing Instructor Beatrix any trouble, you hear?"

"You don't need to treat me like a kid," she protested.

"But I'm STILL your elder," Morgan reminded her. "Let me act the part every now and then."

"Two or three years isn't that far apart, but whatever."

Morgan stopped patting Fie's head. "Oh, that's right. I haven't told you all yet, haven't I?"

Fie squinted. "Told us what?"

Grinning, Morgan put a finger to her mouth. "I'm sure a clever girl like yourself can find that out on your own."

"What a pain…" Fie groaned before turning tail and leaving.

"Hmm, I wonder if the headpats were too much…"

As Morgan began contemplating on what to do next, she started hearing the sound of a piano playing from further down the second floor. After making a left and walking past the stairs, she discovered that the music was coming from, as it was to be expected, the music room. Her curiosity piqued, she opened the door as quietly as she could so she wouldn't disturb the piano player and peered her head inside.

The piano was located in the far right corner of the music room and facing towards the door, so getting a visual on the pianist was difficult. However, a head of familiar-looking blonde hair paired with the female Class II uniform was enough for Morgan to deduce that it was one of the girls from the Wind Orchestra.

'So she's a pianist…' Morgan thought. 'And a trained one, from the sounds of it.'

The noise of rain pelting against the windows of the music room would have been a distraction for most, but the girl from Class II seemed to pay no mind to it and maintained a steady tempo. There was no one else in the room either, which meant that she was either practicing or playing for her own personal enjoyment, a feeling that Morgan often saw from Elliot whenever he played his violin after school.

Eventually, Morgan closed the door softly. Then, to her surprise, she let out a long yawn.

"Huh...how come I'm feeling drowsy all of a sudden?"

As she had told Misty earlier, Morgan had recently been staying up later to study for midterms. Although, if Morgan was being completely honest, it was the result of her working habits instead of a conscious decision. Whenever she puts her mind to learning or solving something, Morgan would unconsciously tune out everything until she understood it, and when that happened, the time would fly by like it was nothing. She may not have felt much during those times, but little things build upon each other over time.

Morgan looked to the lounge area. "A nap sounds really good right now…"

She walked over to one of the couches in the lounge area and set her belongings beside her. As she sat down, she let her body sink into the couch's cushions and exhaled deeply. With the piano playing in tandem with the rain, Morgan felt her eyes beginning to close.

"Fie's rubbing off on me…" were the last words she uttered before she drifted off into a deep sleep.

* * *

 _The days following the incident were not kind to her._

 _Her mother was a kind woman who enjoyed interacting with others, but she particularly maintained a watchful eye on the other children. She would always go out of her way to make sure they were growing well and even used her connections to hold classes and teach them self-defense. In return, she earned their adoration._

 _Needless to say, when they found out about what happened to her, the blame had to shift to someone. It would be an overstatement to call her a pariah, given who both of her parents were, but aside from several notable exceptions, most children her age didn't bother to interact with her anymore._

 _In response, she thrust herself into her studies. She started training tirelessly and began running errands for older adults. She felt that if she wasn't doing something that was bettering herself or helping others, she was wasting time._

 _It was the least she could do to atone for her foolishness._

…

 _It was raining when she was approached. She had forgotten her raincoat at home and was dressed in very light clothing, so she opted to stay holed up in the library, researching military tactics as she always had. The adults always let her browse to her heart's content._

" _Hey there!" the boy greeted with a smile. "Enjoying the rain?"_

 _She looked up from her book. "Just waiting for it to go away. What about you? Aren't you cold?"_

" _Me?" He chuckled a little bit. "Compared to Ferox's winters, this is nothing."_

 _She blinked. "Oh. Right. I forgot you grew up there before you moved to Ylisse. So? I'm guessing you didn't come here just to say 'hi'."_

 _Another chuckle. "Don't you ever get tired?"_

" _...What?"_

" _Tired of studying all the time! You should take a break every now and then."_

" _I take enough breaks," she refuted. "I do some light reading, play games with my father, run through mock scenarios-"_

" _But that's boooooring!" the boy rudely interrupted her._

" _It's optimal!" she snapped at him. "What's your idea, then?"_

" _Shhh!" The librarian hushed them with a death glare._

 _After giving a few silent apologies, she motioned for him to carry on._

" _You know how my mother's a dancer, right?"_

" _Yes. What about it?"_

" _She plans on holding dance lessons at the theatre. She was wondering if you were interested."_

 _She made a face. "Sorry, but I don't know how to dance."_

" _Well, neither does Kjelle." He shrugged his shoulders. "But at least she's willing to try."_

" _I don't know…"_

 _His eyes suddenly lit up, as if he had thought up an idea. "Look at it this way: you want to be a tactician like your father, right?"_

" _Yes."_

" _And if I remember, he said one of the most important things a tactician should do is get to know the other members of the army."_

" _Yes…?"_

" _Well, what if we thought of this as a meeting between future members of the army?" he reasoned. "As an aspiring tactician, it would be a golden opportunity for you to get to know us. You get to fulfill your duty, we get to dance and have fun. Everyone wins!"_

" _Uh…" She was loath to admit it, but she couldn't deny the logic in his statement. "Well, when you put it like that…"_

" _Great! Then it's settled!" He clapped his hands together. "Lessons begin at noon in two days' time! We'll be seeing you then, Morgs!"_

" _M-Morgs?"_

" _Yeah!" He smiled gleefully. "You're one of us, so you need to have a nickname!"_

" _You think I'm...one of you?"_

" _Why wouldn't you be?" he asked puzzledly. "We all used to play together, didn't we?"_

" _But I'm…"_

" _You ought to turn that frown upside down!" he recommended as he did the same. "If you keep sitting here by yourself, you're only going to add to the problem; that's why it's more important than ever to stick with us! We'll help you show others that you're different than what they think you are." He turned around and waved his hand. "Just think about that, okay?"_

 _Before she could stop him, he was already gone. A few moments later, she saw him running away from the library from the window._

" _Cherish the memories you make with others," her father had said, "because it's through those experiences that you begin to forge strong ties with each other."_

 _Perhaps the reason she was hesitant to reply was because she had assumed that those ties had already been cut._

" _Morgs…"_

 _She heard the sound of rainfall gradually lessening behind her. Eventually, the library was lit with the sun's rays._

" _That's the first time I've ever been given a nickname…"_

 _She began to feel a warmth inside as she heard him call her by that name again._

" _Morgs…"_

* * *

"Morgs!"

Morgan lazily opened her eyes to see a pair of red eyes and white bangs staring down at her.

"Gah!" Panicking slightly, Morgan immediately stood up tried to turn around. However, due to the lounge table limiting the amount of space she could maneuver in, she ended up stumbling and would have fallen on her face if a pair of arms didn't catch her.

"Whoa! Didn't mean to scare you like that."

Recognizing the voice, she looked up at her savior. "C-Crow?"

"I guess even you let your guard down sometimes," the second year remarked. Due to the lighting of the building, his silver hair appeared white.

"You just caught me at a bad time." She recomposed herself and regained her footing. Crow let go of her soon after. "What time is it, anyway?"

"It's almost seven," he replied. "What, you got plans for tonight?"

"No, I don't. It's just…wait, did you say it's almost seven?" Morgan slapped her forehead with her palm. "Did I really just pass out for two hours straight?"

Crow put his hands behind his head. "I don't know. Did you?"

"I was being rhetorical," she retorted at him. "Still, I was planning on studying political economics after dinner. At this rate, I'll probably have to push it back…"

"Political economics?" Crow's eyes widened. "Hey, that's perfect!"

"Perfect for what?"

"I was just about to head over to the Student Union building to meet with the gang," he explained. "It just so happens that Towa's best subject is political economics. I'm sure she won't mind sharing some pointers if you ask."

"You think so?" Morgan asked. "I wouldn't want to take time out of her break from student council activities."

"Trust me, you wouldn't want to miss out on this. Plus, Gelica knows a lot about the fine arts thanks to her upbringing, George practically breathes orbal science, and I know a few tricks around the practical things like combat studies. That's, like, four exams right there." He held up four fingers to correlate with the notion. "Not a bad offer, right?"

Indeed, the offer was too tempting for Morgan to pass up. The second year students were probably the best people to ask aside from the other faculty regarding what to expect on midterms, and since Morgan happened to know four of them, it would be a crime not to hear their firsthand experience. So, she followed Crow down the stairs until they reached the main entrance to the building.

"Shoot. Forgot to bring my umbrella…" Crow groaned.

"Afraid of a little rain, Trickster?" Morgan queried.

"Not in the least."

"Well, I know I am. That's why I brought this! " She proudly held up her umbrella.

Crow let out a whistle. "Nice going, Morgs."

"Why, thank you." She opened her umbrella and stepped out into the rain.

"Whoa, whoa!" Crow shouted. "You're not just gonna leave me behind, are you?"

Morgan turned around and looked at him quizzically. "You said you weren't afraid of a little rain, right?"

"That doesn't mean that I like going through it!" he snapped back.

"I'm confident in your practical capabilities~" Just for good measure, she turned around and started walking away slowly.

"Now you're just being mean…" he mumbled just loud enough for her to hear, along with several other choice words.

"Well now, we can't have that tarnishing my reputation, can we?" She started going back the way she came and stopped in front of her upperclassman. "In that case, here."

Crow dumbfoundedly looked at the umbrella that was in her outstretched hand. "Seriously? Now you're just giving it to me?"

"I'm giving you the honor of being my escort to the Student Union," Morgan corrected him. "You're taller than me, so it only makes sense that you should be the one to hold it." She gave him the biggest smile she could muster. "You can either run through the rain or share an umbrella with a beautiful lady. Not a bad offer, right?"

The two of them stood in their respective positions for a moment until Crow sighed. "Personally, I'd rather take my chances with the rain," he admitted before reaching out to take Morgan's umbrella. "But Gelica's gonna grill me if she sees me soaking wet just cause I didn't want to share an umbrella."

"Then we have a deal, then?" Morgan let go of her umbrella. "Just make sure you try and keep me as dry as possible! Like I said, I'm afraid of the rain."

"Cut with the bull," he replied dryly. Nevertheless, he kept the umbrella raised to keep both of them dry as they walked. "And for the record, you're one of the last people I'd think of when I hear the words 'beautiful' and 'lady.'"

"Aww…" Morgan pouted. "And here I thought I could get some sort of reaction out of you."

"Has anyone ever told you that you can be pretty sadistic?"

"Can't say that I've heard that, no."

"Well, like I said: I've got a thing for older women." The older teen shrugged his shoulders. "But who knows? You could change my mind in a few years."

"And you're...how old, exactly?" she asked.

"Nineteen, going on twenty in about a month."

"Huh. That's closer than I thought…" Morgan mumbled to herself.

"What'd you say?"

She shook her head. "Oh, it's nothing."

"So? What about you?" he continued. "Told you my age; want to tell me yours?"

She giggled. "Oh, you know how a fair maiden ought to keep her own secrets~"

Crow made a face. "Ugh. Hearing you talk like that's making me want to barf."

"I'm trying to replicate an older woman's behavior," she explained. "How am I doing?"

"Grading on a hundred-point scale…" the silver-haired teen said. "I'd give you a thirty at best."

"Better than zero, at least."

"What sort of older woman were you trying to act like anyways?"

Morgan thought for a moment. "Instructor Sara on a bad alcohol day?"

Crow simply looked at her in disbelief, with Morgan returning the stare. Then, the two of them burst out laughing.

"Okay, that wasn't my best response." Morgan felt some water splash onto her jacket, but she paid it no mind.

"Tell me about it!" Crow agreed. "She'd kill you if she heard you say that."

Morgan looked around her to make sure a certain violet-haired instructor was nowhere in sight. "In that case, we should pick up the pace before anyone spots us."

Crow bowed in the most mocking way possible. "As you wish, fair maiden."

She snorted in response. "Now you're the one exhibiting barf-worthy behavior."

* * *

"Achoo!"

"Bless you, Instructor Valestein."

"Thank you, Principal." Sara rubbed her nose. "I wonder if someone's talking about me…"

"Oh?" Principal Vandyck raised an eyebrow. "I never took you as one to believe in superstitions."

"With all due respect, Principal, my experience has taught me that even superstitions have some truth to them. But back to the matter at hand…" She hastily recomposed herself. "I'll be sure to let Worzel know about his family's offer. Once midterms are over, we'll be able to coordinate with him more flexibly."

"Excellent." The aged principal nodded. "If I may be so bold to ask, how are the other students faring?"

"Last I checked, they were doing a group study session together. Thanks to last month's field study, they've all made significant advancements in their combat links. In due time, they may be able to start advancing to the next level." Sara pursed her lips. "I just hope those are the only things they'll have to worry about this month."

"Yes…" Principal Vandyck furrowed his eyebrows. "To the north, the Calvard Republic has become increasingly vigilant. To the west, tensions between the Reformist and Noble factions have begun to arise once more. With luck, Class VII will only be able to observe the conflicts from afar instead of actively playing a part in solving them."

"If they do, at least they'll be prepared for it," Sara said. "They're two for two when it comes to solving things on their own; I'm willing to bet my mira that they'll be able to do it a third time."

The principal chuckled. "Verily, I hope you're right."

* * *

 **Author's note: And another intermission comes to a close. Things IRL have resulted in me becoming more busy, so prepare for updates to become sparse once again. Hopefully this can hold you over until then.**

 **Not much else to say, so see you all next time!** **ｖ(⌒ｏ⌒)ｖ**


	25. June 15th - Studying for Midterms

**CHAPTER 3 - IGNITION**

"How are you feeling about tomorrow?"

"I'm panicking."

"You don't look very panicked to me."

"I'm just training my poker face." Morgan contorted her face and made a "Grrr!" noise, which made Emma laugh.

Classes had ended early for the day so students could be allowed extra time to study for their midterms. While the rest of Class VII had dispersed into groups of two or three to do some last-minute studying, Morgan and Emma decided to take this opportunity to grab a quick bite to eat together at the Student Union.

"What about you, Miss Honors Student?" Morgan asked, returning her face to normal. "Think you can pull another win against Machias?"

"I-It's not like we're competing for anything…" Emma insisted. "Still, I'm hoping to do just as well as I did on the entrance exam. If I feel like I've performed to the best of my ability, then that's all that matters. Whether I get first is just a byproduct of how hard I worked."

"That's a good mindset," Morgan commented. "I know that I have the resources to succeed; all that's left is to put it into practice."

"I've seen how hard you've been working," Emma remarked. "I'm sure you'll do fine. Who knows? Maybe you might outplace me!"

Morgan couldn't help but snort in response. "Now that's an impossibility if I've ever heard one. I'm determined, but I'm not tenacious like Machias. I'm not sure how either of you manage to retain all that information in your heads."

Emma giggled. "Well...I've always had a knack for memorizing things. Plus, my grandmother always made sure that I maintained a certain level of discipline when it came to academics."

"Your grandmother sounds strict."

Another giggle. "She is, but she still treated me very well. As for Machias, I personally find his tenacity to be an admirable trait, at least when it's applied in the right manner."

"Yeah, he REALLY doesn't like losing." Morgan took a bite out of her meat-and-tomato sandwich. "By the way, I've noticed you've been tutoring Fie one-on-one these days. How's that been going?"

"Rather well, if I do say so myself," Emma replied with a smile. "Fie complains a lot, but she actually picks things up really quickly. Like you said, it's only a matter of seeing how much information she decides to put into practice."

Morgan nodded. She, and likely the rest of Class VII, picked up that Fie had the potential to be very smart but was held back by her lack of general education due to her jaeger background and her general apathy towards the prospect of written exams. The only subject she seemed to perform well in was combat studies, but unfortunately, the midterms consisted only of a written portion and nothing else.

"Combat is a craft," Fie had said. "It can only be measured by doing. Bubbling the answer on a piece of paper can never prepare you for the real thing."

While the former jaeger technically wasn't wrong, they were still attending a military academy; thus, students had to be tested on the various military terms and practices now so that when some of them join the army, they wouldn't be asking questions while they were fighting for their lives. That was just how Erebonia did things; whether or not it was the most "optimal" form of assessment remained the subject of debate.

"Anyways…" Morgan continued. "I'm surprised that you can juggle several things at once and still do so well academically. You're our class representative, you're in the literature club, and now you're a tutor for Fie…"

"Well, there's a little trick to that last one." Emma took a sip of whole juice before continuing. "I understand why some people would think that helping someone else study lowers your ability to perform well. However, why do you think that our teachers are so quick to answer our questions without even looking at the source material?"

"Because they know a lot about their subject?"

"Because not only do they know a lot, their knowledge is constantly tested by people who ask them questions. When you're in that position, you get asked all sorts of questions, and the more questions you get asked, the more opportunities you get test your own knowledge. Of course, no one is perfect, but being able to stand firm and provide directions in a way that lets novices understand shows that you yourself understand the subject on a deeper level. At least, that's what my grandmother used to say."

"I see…" Morgan nodded in understanding. "That's why you're tutoring Fie in a whole host of subjects. By teaching her, you get to reinforce the knowledge you already possess while also preparing yourself for the chances of an unexpected question."

"Well, that is part of the reason," Emma affirmed. "Really, though, I just want to help Fie in any way I can." She looked down at her drink and frowned. "I know that she...likely didn't have the best of childhoods. That's why, as our class's representative, I want to help her fit in with the school as smoothly as possible. Helping with her studies is one of the ways I feel I can do that."

"Well, seeing as you got the highest score on the entrance exam, I don't think Fie could ask for a better studying partner."

Emma smiled. "Thanks, Morgan."

Morgan finished the last bite of her sandwich. After she swallowed, she reached down, grabbed her bag that contained all her notebooks, and opened it. "Huh. I thought it felt a bit light on the way here."

"Hm? Is something the matter?"

"I'm missing one of my notebooks," Morgan explained. "My military science one, to be specific."

"Did you leave it in the classroom?"

"Probably. Guess I'd better go back and get it." Morgan closed her bag and grabbed her umbrella, which was resting by one of the table's legs. "I'll see you later, Emma."

The bespectacled class representative waved her hand in response. "Right! Oh, by the way, I'm planning on meeting up with Fie in the library later. Feel free to join us if you want."

Morgan opened her umbrella and nodded. "I'll think about it."

* * *

Fortunately for Morgan, she didn't have to search very far for her military science notebook. It was in her desk, just where she expected it to be.

"I have you now!" She grabbed the notebook pulled it out of the desk. "There's nowhere left to run!"

The notebook didn't show any signs of struggling, as was to be expected, so Morgan put it inside her bag without a hitch.

"Now then…" she murmured to herself. "What to do now?"

Morgan thought about visiting her classmates to see what each of them were up to, though she was having difficulty deducing where each of them would be aside from Emma and Fie. As she exited the classroom and thought about where to go next, she found herself wandering to the music room. In contrast to the previous time she had stopped by, there was no music playing from inside. Out of curiosity, Morgan opened the door to find the music room devoid of any people.

"Guess she's not here today," Morgan remarked, thinking about the blonde pianist from the Wind Orchestra. "Totally understandable, though."

At that moment, Morgan wanted to try something. Making sure to close the door so she wouldn't terribly disturb everyone, she first set her belongings on top of a nearby table. Then, she walked over to the piano, pulled out the bench from underneath it, and lifted the fall board. Finally, she sat down on the bench and took a moment to gaze at the keyboard before placing her left hand on a few keys. She played an A flat, E flat, middle C, and D flat in that sequential order.

Morgan was by no means a pianist. In fact, she couldn't remember the last time she sat down to learn it seriously. However, there was one song that was so ingrained into her muscle memory that she didn't need sheet music to remember it, and right now, in this very moment, she was overcome with an urge to play it.

She placed her hands on their familiar positions on the keyboard. Taking a steady breath, she started to play.

…

According to her father, the piece was originally a piano and accordion duet that had been composed specifically for his and her mother's wedding day. As such, the version that Morgan was playing gave off a feeling of incompleteness, like it was missing something.

'How did it go again…?'

She tried to hum the accordion part to the best of her ability, but diverting her attention caused her to mess up some of the notes, so she gave up soon afterwards.

…

'Hard to believe two months have flown by already…' Morgan thought. 'I think I'm starting to get used to school life. Still…'

Morgan grimaced, once again thinking about the troubling events she experienced firsthand during her field studies. 'They weren't kidding when they said that it would contain a lot of dangerous work. The empire is in a greater state of disarray that I'd imagined. But on the flip side…' Her grimace turned into a small smile. 'We did become closer as a class. Closer as individuals. That's another step closer to achieving his ideals.'

Feeling that she had played enough, she reached a stopping point and held the notes for an extended period of time before lifting her fingers off the keyboard.

Then, to her surprise, she heard the sound of someone clapping.

Looking up from the piano, Morgan saw a familiar blonde girl wearing the Class II uniform. Upon making eye contact, the girl stopped, almost as if she had been clapping on reflex.

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "That was such a lovely tune, I couldn't help but contain myself."

"It's fine." Morgan shook her head. "That just means I have your approval."

"I've never heard that piece before," the blonde girl added. "If you don't mind me asking, what's it called?"

Morgan looked down at the piano. "It doesn't have a name," she finally said, "but anyone can play it if they try."

The blonde giggled at that. "That's definitely how a true musician would answer things."

Morgan lowered the fall board and stood up to give the blonde girl her undivided attention. "You're part of the Wind Orchestra, right? I saw you once last month when Elliot was playing the violin."

"Hehe, that's correct. I'm surprised you remembered." The blonde bowed slightly while placing a hand over her chest. Now that Morgan had a better look at her, she noticed that she was wearing a white headband. "Oh, but where are my manners? My name is Bridget O'Keefe, and I'm the pianist for the Wind Orchestra. I'm also in Class II, as you could tell from my uniform, but you don't have to act all formal around me."

"I'll keep that in mind." Morgan stepped away from the piano and gave a small bow of her own, though with her left arm making a curtsy motion. "I'm Morgan Daraen, and aside from helping the Engineering Club from time to time, I don't really belong to any club."

"Oh, you don't?" Bridget raised an eyebrow. "Color me surprised. You COULD join the Wind Orchestra; you can never have too many accompanists."

"Thanks, but I'm a bit out of practice," Morgan admitted modestly. "With how well you played the other day, I'm not sure I'll be able to catch up."

"Oh, you saw that?" Now it was Bridget's turn to look surprised. "That was a piece called 'The Sound of Rainfall'. It's sort of a tradition of mine to play it at least once whenever it's raining outside."

Morgan looked out the window. "Well, it IS raining now…did you come by to play it again?"

She shook her head. "Not this time, I'm afraid. I'm actually here to meet up with someone. Another girl in the Wind Orchestra, Mint, promised to help me go over math and orbal science."

"You're going to study in the music room?"

"Is that so odd? The music room is actually a great place to study during the test period. It's so quiet!"

"Well, I can't deny that…" Morgan looked past Bridget at the door. "So, where's your study partner?"

"She should be arriving very shortly." Morgan detected a bit of hesitation in Bridget's voice as she looked behind her. "I suppose that means I'll have to find something else to do in the meantime." Bridget reached down to grab her bag by her feet. "Then again, I've been meaning to go over military science for a while now…"

"Military science?" Morgan's eyes lit up. "I can help you with that, if you want."

"Oh? Are you sure?" Bridget asked. "I wouldn't want to take time out of your own studies."

"Actually, I've been meaning to review that subject myself," Morgan said. "Although, a quick word of warning: I tend to use my own terminologies to make things easier for me to understand, so if I ever say something that isn't in the school texts, let me know."

"I'm sure I can pick it up as I go," Bridget stated confidently. She walked over to Morgan's table and placed her stuff next to hers. "Before we get started, though, am I correct in assuming that your class's curriculum is the same as ours?"

"I'd say it's slightly on the accelerated side, but the content should still be similar." Morgan opened her military science notebook. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, most of my issues pertain to the exercises we were given in preparation for the midterms." The blonde pianist retrieved a worksheet from her bag. "I'm having a bit of trouble understanding how to go about achieving these objectives."

"Hmm…" Morgan took a moment to look over the details of the exercises. "Okay, so first off, how much do you know about map marking symbols?"

"You mean the rectangles with different shapes inside them that indicate different units and formations?" Bridget asked for clarification. "Like how a rectangle crossed out with an 'X' means 'infantry'?"

Morgan nodded her head. "Yup. Those ones."

"I believe I can recite all of them off the top of my head."

"Great! That saves me a lot of time to explain." Morgan motioned for Bridget to join her as she walked up to the giant chalkboard located at the front of the room. "Chalk, chalk...aha!" She grabbed a piece of chalk that was laying at the far end of the board tray and started drawing a diagram.

"Um…" Bridget voiced hesitantly. "What are you drawing?"

"...Put this guy right here, put headquarters over here...and there!" Upon putting the finishing touches to her diagram, Morgan turned to face her new study partner and pointed to the board. "Step one! Draw a diagram that shows all of the units listed on your side of the field. In situations like these, it always helps to have some sort of visual so you can take everything into account. In the case of the first problem, we have headquarters on this end with an infantry unit and armored unit stationed in the front." With each unit she listed, she pointed to its corresponding rectangle on the diagram. "You with me so far?"

"Er, I don't mean to sound picky, but there should be three infantry units."

Morgan rectified this by drawing a three in the middle of the rectangle representing the infantry units. "Close enough. Now, the next step is to fill in the empty space around your units with what you know from the problem. This can be terrain, enemy units, the weather, you name it. Once you have everything written down, it's only a matter of looking at what you have on hand and how to use all of your resources to the fullest.

"On that note, Bridget, could you read the rest of the problem? I'll give you an example first, and then you can do the next one on your own."

The blonde accompanist nodded and began reading the problem.

…

"...You weren't kidding when you said you'd pick things up as you go," Morgan remarked. "That was a pretty good run."

"I'm glad you think so," Bridget said with a smile. "I was always taught to memorize things as best I could, so creating diagrams to perform simulations is rather new to me. Now that I've repeated it a few times, however, I'm starting to see military science in a new light!"

"Well, truth be told, the parts we just covered are only going to be a small part of the midterm," Morgan admitted. "The fact that you can recite a lot of things off the top of your head is great, so don't change that. Drawing diagrams is just a way to make sure you don't miss any important details."

"So if I want to get better, I'll need to run these...simulations as often as possible?"

Morgan nodded. "Practice makes perfect, as generic as that sounds. The exercises on that worksheet are just a few of the scenarios that could happen in real life. You have to keep in mind that not everything is as clear cut as they seem; there are multiple variables that could change the outcome of a battle, like your equipment, the surrounding environment, even the temperament of your own soldiers. Learning to take as many variables as possible into account and having an answer for each of them is a must if you really want to get good at military science." She waved her hand. "Buuut, that's way further down the line. We don't need to worry about all of that right now."

"You must have practiced this a lot, I presume?"

"It's sort of a hobby of mine," Morgan replied. "Also, I don't mean to sound proud, but I learned from the best."

"Still, this has been an enlightening experience. I'll make sure to apply what I've learned here moving forward." Bridget's face lowered. "I do wish he was here to learn about this…"

"Hm?" Morgan blinked. "Who's 'he'?"

Bridget shook her head. "Truth be told, I had asked one other person if he wanted to study with me. He wants to be in the military one day, so I thought we could go over military science together, but…"

"He said no?"

She pursed her lips and nodded. "And rather bluntly, if I do say so myself. I wonder what he's doing right now…"

"Maybe he already made plans to study with someone else?" Morgan guessed.

"I hope that's all there is to it…"

Upon noticing Bridget's crestfallen expression, Morgan tried to find some way to change the subject. "You know, speaking of study partners, where did yours go?"

The blonde pianist folded her arms. "I don't know. Being a few minutes late is one thing, but not showing up for half an hour is something else."

"Is...what's-her-name always like this?"

"Her name is Mint," Bridget reminded her. "And to be completely honest, this isn't the first time this has happened. She still gets herself lost moving from one class period to the next, even though we're two months into the school year. And then there was the first time she tried playing the flute…"

Before Bridget could finish her story, the door swung open abruptly.

"Heyo! Hope I didn't keep you waiting!" a sprightly voice called out.

The voice belonged to an energetic girl wearing the Class III uniform. Her hair, tied into twin buns with bright red ribbons, was a light shade of green to go with the color of her uniform. Slung onto her back was a backpack that Morgan assumed was carrying her study materials.

"Wait, you were already studying with someone else?" she said, her eyes drifting between Bridget and Morgan. "How come you didn't tell me?!"

"I would have if you had shown up," Bridget answered, not at all amused. "Mint, where were you? Didn't we arrange to meet in the music room half an hour ago?"

"Huh? Half an hour ago?" Mint looked to the clock hanging at the right side of the room. "Oh...whoops! Guess I mixed up the time!" She sheepishly scratched the back of her head and stuck her tongue out while winking.

Bridget pressed a finger against her temple and sighed. "You can be very scatterbrained sometimes, do you know that?"

"As scatterbrained as scatterbrained gets!" Mint puffed her chest out with pride.

"Th-That's not something you should be proud of…" Bridget retorted.

Morgan couldn't help but snicker at the conversation unfolding in front of her.

"Oh, my apologies," said Bridget. "Mint, this is Morgan. She's been teaching me military science while you weren't here."

Morgan held out her hand. "Please to meet you, Mint."

"The pleasure's all mine." Mint reaches out and shook it.

"Well, Bridget, your partner's here, so I think I'll take my leave now…"

"Wha? But we just met!" Mint exclaimed. "Why don't you stay with us? You know what they say: the more the merrier!"

"But I-"

"Trust me, you won't wanna miss this!" Mint rubbed her nose. "I may not look it, but I'm actually an orbal science whiz!"

"Really?"

"It's true," Bridget affirmed. "Do you know Instructor Makarov? Mint is his niece."

"For real?" Morgan asked again.

"Realsies!" Mint said proudly. "My dad's a Reinford employee, too, so I know all sorts of things!" Almost immediately after, Mint's expression turned sheepish, her eyes wandering to the side. "Granted, I can't exactly teach for the life of me, but you can copy my notes, so that's a plus!"

If Morgan was completely honest, she felt that she was already well-prepared for midterms as is. Her impromptu study session with Crow and the gang had actually gave her enough insight on all of the subjects, including some of her weaker areas. At this point, she was retreading material that she was already made aware of.

"May I say something?" Bridget piped up, raising her hand. "Morgan, you helped me greatly in one of my weaker subjects. However, I must admit that I feel a tad guilty about not being able to do the same for you. As such, I want to take this opportunity to assist you if you have any questions at all."

But then again, a tactician could never be too prepared. "Well, I guess it can't hurt to stay a little while…"

"Great! Then it's settled!" Mint set her backpack next to Bridget and Morgan's belongings. Then, she retrieved a green notebook and opened it to a random page.

Morgan looked over Mint's shoulder and frowned. "Hey, Mint?"

"Yeah?"

"We ARE studying for orbal science, right?"

Mint looked down at her notebook to find that the page was covered in doodles and sketches of household objects. "Oh, whoops!" The green-haired girl winked and stuck her tongue out once more. "Must've mistaken it for art class!" She hastily put her notebook back and tried searching frantically for her orbal science notebook. It would have taken a few moments, were it not for the fact that all of Mint's notebooks were colored in varying shades of green.

A bead of uneasy sweat dropped from Morgan's forehead. "This is going to be a long afternoon, isn't it?"

Little did Morgan know at the time that the afternoon would, in fact, fly by very quickly.

* * *

"RIIIIING!"

"Guess that's the end of that!" Mint started packing up her things. "I'm feeling pretty good about these exams now!"

"Just don't do anything stupid like putting all your test answers in a different section and you should be fine," Morgan commented.

Bridget giggled. "That DOES sound like something Mint would do…"

"Hey, were you two making fun of me just now?" Mint pouted. "You were, weren't you?"

Morgan grinned teasingly. "If you can get above me in the rankings, maayybe I'll consider revoking my comment."

"Oh, you're in for it now!" Mint defiantly pointed her index finger at her. "Loser pays for dinner at Kirsche's!"

"Deal!" Morgan's grin grew even wider. "Now I'm a little motivated!"

"Ladies, please…" Bridget tried to sound authoritative, but even she had a smile on her face.

With that, the three of them walked out of the music room and went their separate ways.

A small part of Morgan admittedly felt a little guilty for choosing not to study with the others in her class, especially when Emma was kind enough to extend an invitation. On the flip side, however, Bridget and Mint helped to give a new perspective on certain topics that she otherwise never would have considered. Furthermore, being in teacher's role for a brief moment when discussing military science helped to test and further Morgan's own knowledge of the subject, just as Emma had advised. All in all, the study session was far more productive than Morgan had anticipated.

"They were even kind enough to help me study for medical science…" Morgan murmured to herself. "I think that checks off all of the subjects that'll be on the midterms, too."

Morgan began to count the subjects she had studied for as she descended the stairs. Unfortunately, she became so engrossed in keeping track that she didn't notice there was someone waiting at the bottom of the stairs until she bumped into them.

"Oh!" Morgan yelped. "Sorry about that!"

"There's no need for apologies," the person replied. "I should have picked a better spot to take in the surroundings than in front of the stairs."

The person was a woman who appeared to be in her early twenties. She had short, light purple hair that contrasted with her green-colored eyes and she spoke with an airy yet formal tone. What was most notable about the woman was her manner of dress, as she was outfitted in a violet-colored maid's uniform, complete with frills, a white apron, a brown corset, and a headband.

"No, I should have been paying more attention…" Morgan's voice wandered off as she inspected the maid standing in front of her. "I don't believe we've met before. Are you new around here?"

"Precisely," the maid confirmed. "I just met with the principal. It has been decided that I will assume the position of caretaker at the end of this week."

"So it'll be after midterms are over," Morgan figured. "I guess I can see the logic behind that. Start off a new part of the school year with a new person as caretaker?"

The maid smiled. "That is indeed the reasoning behind it. It would do more harm than good for the students if I were to begin my duties when the school term is at its most tumultuous, so I will withhold my debut for the time being. Still, I hope we get to interact with each other in the near future." She gave a small curtsy. "I wish you the best of luck in your studies, Lady Morgan."

That immediately sent off alarms in Morgan's head. Her expression becoming guarded, she furrowed her eyebrows and said, "How do you know my name?"

"I've simply done my research," the maid answered vaguely. "Now, if you'll excuse me…"

Morgan tried to stop her, but the maid had already turned away and started moving to the door.

'A caretaker?' Morgan wondered. 'For who? She dressed like a high-class servant, but I'm pretty sure the upper class dorms already has their own caretaker, and seeing her in the lower class dorms is a bit…' Then, a possibility surfaced in her mind. 'Is she going to work in the Class VII dormitory? Is that why she knows my name?"

Morgan dwelled on that thought for a moment before shaking her head. "Well, guess I'll find out at the end of the week," she said to herself. "Like she said, I need to focus on doing well on these midterms." She pumped her fist and snorted through her nostrils. "Dinner at Kirsche's is on the line!"

Now feeling more determined than ever, she made her way to the front of the building. Upon seeing that it was still raining, Morgan opened her umbrella.

'A maid, huh?' she thought. 'That brings me back…'

* * *

" _Oh, you look positively adorable!"_

" _Um...why am I dressed like this again?" Morgan gazed nervously at her reflection in the mirror. She was currently wearing a black maid's uniform that, for some reason, just so happened to match her size._

" _Did I not tell you already?" The blonde girl standing behind her was positively beaming. "From this point onward, you're going to be my personal attendant! But before you begin your duties, you need to look the part first! Could you twirl around?"_

 _Morgan did as she was told. "It feels a bit...difficult to move around in."_

" _Oh, I'm sure you'll get used to it."_

 _The thought of serving someone who was both a few years younger and several inches shorter than herself was amusing to Morgan, but if she were given a choice to serve anyone, she probably wouldn't have chosen anyone else._

" _I'll...do my best." She took a moment to curtsy, holding up the sides of her dress. "I'll serve you as best as I can...Your Highness."_

" _Please, you don't need to be so formal when it's only the two of us!" the younger of the two insisted. "Oh, and one more thing: you don't always have to curtsy. Depending on the situation, a bow would also work."_

" _Is...that so?" Morgan questioned. "I'll need to keep that in mind…"_

" _Just follow Fauna's instructions and you should be fine. She's strict, but she means well." The blonde girl took Morgan's hands into hers. "Until you recover fully, let us take care of you…"_

 _Morgan nodded. "Thank you…"_

* * *

"Yo! Morgs!"

Morgan snapped out of her contemplation and turned her head to see Crow walking towards her. "Hello, Trickster," she greeted him. "I see you have your umbrella today."

"You're not letting that go anytime soon, aren't you?" he sighed.

"When have I ever?"

"...Fair enough." He motioned for her to follow him, which she did. "Tomorrow's the start of the grind. Feeling prepared?"

"More than ever," she confidently replied. "You could say that I've gained a few levels in my intelligence. And you?"

"I'm panicking."

"You don't look very panicked to me."

He shrugged. "I've just got a good poker face."

Morgan hummed quietly to herself. "Let me guess: you haven't hit the books at all ever since our study session last week."

"Did too!" Crow retaliated. "I've just been...preoccupied with other things."

"Like…?"

He exhaled. "Would you believe me if I said that a few acquaintances of mine showed up out of the blue and then we made plans to catch up at the Heimdallr summer festival next month?"

"Hmm…" Morgan pondered over her upperclassman's long winded exposition. "How come you didn't decide on Ordis?"

Crow blinked. "What?"

"The Ordis summer festival," Morgan said. "It's supposed to start this weekend, which also coincides with our next free day."

"O-Oh, right." Crow shook his head. "Yeah, we couldn't do it this month. They had their plans, I had mine-"

"Even though you're slacking off."

"But next month's a whole nother story." The second year squinted his eyes. "Also, don't interrupt me."

She giggled. "Fine, fine…"

"Well, since you're talking about Ordis…" he said, looking to change the topic. "I'm guessing you're planning on taking a day trip there?"

"Well, someone I know did invite me to come," she answered, "but it takes about eight hours to get from Trista to Ordis, and I'm not exactly sure I want spend a good chunk of my day sitting on a train." Morgan looked to the side. "Besides, Rean might need help with the old schoolhouse again…"

Crow patted her shoulder, surprising her. "You can be pretty serious, you know that? If you want to go, then go! You only have one life, right?" He lifted his hand from her shoulders and pointed his thumb at himself. "I'll even tag along and show you the place! It can be a da-!"

"I'll pass," Morgan hastily denied. "Ordis isn't going anywhere; I'm sure I'll get my chance another day. If my schedule allows it, I'll settle for going to Heimdallr's festival, but as long as I'm at Thors, Class VII comes first."

Crow scratched the back of his head and exhaled. "Yeah, figures. Well, that's fine by me. I need to help George this next free day anyways."

"George?" Morgan looked up at Crow. "What for?"

The silver-haired teen looked surprised. "You mean he hasn't told you yet? Well, I guess I'm not surprised, given how the weather's been lately, but he's getting ready to take the orbal bike for a test run."

"Oh, has he finished adjusting it?"

"For the most part, yeah. If you want, you can come and check it out. I think he also sent a request to Towa so he could let Rean have a shot at driving it."

"Huh?!" Morgan exclaimed. "How come Rean gets first dibs?"

Crow smirked. "Heh. You're pretty cute when you're angry. Maybe he'll let you when you're a bit taller."

Morgan would have been lying if she said she didn't feel a little bit of jealousy, but she also saw from the way Crow was smirking that he was deliberately pushing her buttons to gain an edge. So, instead of pressing matters further, she decided to twist things back into her favor. "Well, before any of that happens…" She peeked at Crow with one eye open. "You need to get through your midterms, young man. If I recall, a certain petite president mentioned you were in danger of not being able to graduate on time…"

Just like that, she was controlling the pace of the conversation again. "Give a guy a break…" Crow groaned. "I don't need another Towa breathing down my throat…"

"And whose fault might that be, Trickster?"

"At this rate, I'll probably just take my test and pray for the best…"

"Yeah, you do that!" Morgan lifted the hand that was carrying her bag and pointed her index finger at her upperclassman. "Pick a god and pray!"

Crow stopped for a moment. "Whoa. That sounded pretty cool. Did you come up with that yourself?"

"Hehe. You like that? That was…" Morgan's voice drifted off. "That was…"

Her pace slowed to a crawl. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Crow turning to see that she was no longer following him.

"Hey, what's up?" he asked, confused.

She shook her head. "I-It's nothing. I'll see myself the rest of the way back."

"You're not going to get dinner?" Crow pointed to Kirsche's, which was just a few paces away from where they stood.

"I'll eat on my own." Morgan waved goodbye. "I want to go over some last-minute things."

He grunted in response. "Heh, always the honors student."

"No, that would be Emma," she retorted. "See you later, Trickster."

Crow silently saluted with his middle and index fingers and entered the café.

Morgan proceeded to walk down the slope towards the Class VII dorm.

She had said those words in the heat of the moment, but when it came time to think about things critically, her mind continuously drew a blank.

'...Where did I hear that again?'

* * *

 **Author's note: Funnily enough, right as I'm writing a chapter about studying for midterms, I happen to be in the midst of midterm week myself. I guess that extra boost of reality was just what I needed!**

 **Hello everyone, and congratulations on making it to the end of this chapter! For those not in the know, the third game in the series, _Trails of Cold Steel III_ , is about to release in the West soon. Thus, I figured that now would be a better time than ever to throw out an update on this story. Will I ever reach the third game? Who knows! That'll all depend on whether I find enough time to finish the first game! (ᗒᗜᗕ)՛̵̖**

 **At any rate, this is going to be the point where the story starts to center more around Morgan, so if you felt that there wasn't much to her aside from being the third-person narrator, I hope to make up for that with this chapter. In doing so, however, I will have to take greater risks when it comes to creating original content while continuing to make sure they line up with what we know from _Awakening_ and the _Cold Steel_ games. I can't guarantee that I'll be able to fulfill all of your expectations, but I'll try my best regardless. (ง •̀_•́)ง**

 **With that said, I hope you enjoyed this update! Please look forward to more, whenever that may be!**


	26. June 19th - Free Day Period, Pt 1

"..."

"RIIIIING!"

"Aaand that's time!" Instructor Sara loudly announced. "Everyone, pass your tests forward!"

A huge cry of relief elapsed from every student's mouth, some louder than others. The sight alone was enough to make Sara snicker.

Once all of the test forms were gathered in Sara's hands, she cleared her throat to get everyone's attention. "Well, congratulations on making it through four days of exams!" She looked to the side. "And what do you know? It looks like the rain ended right along with them. Clearly, this is the Goddess's way of rewarding you all for your hard work."

"I don't think that reasoning would stand up to scrutiny…" Alisa retorted with squinted eyes.

Elliot slumped backwards into his chair. "Phew. I'm totally spent."

"It's finally over…" Fie sprawled her arms over the desk like an exhausted cat. "Can someone pinch me just to make sure I'm not dreaming?"

Morgan, who was seated to Fie's left, immediately took the opportunity to pinch the younger girl on the cheek.

"...Yup," Fie drily remarked. "Not dreaming."

Instructor Sara chuckled at the sight. "Anyway, the good news is that you students have the rest of the day off, so take the chance to unwind and blow off all that pent-up exam stress! They'll post the results next Wednesday, so take it easy until then." She then folded her arms. "But don't relax TOO much, because you've got your next practical exam next Wednesday afternoon."

The feeling of relief was quickly swept away and replaced with feelings of dread.

"With all the intensive studying, I'd completely forgotten about that," Machias grumbled.

"You could stand to be a little more considerate with the timing of your announcement," Jusis agreed.

"And I'm guessing we'll also know where we're heading for our next field study?" Rean presumed.

Their violet-haired instructor smiled. "That's right. I'm glad to see that you've gotten all the patterns memorized." Sara then clapped her hands together. "Oh, but before I dismiss you, I should let you all know that I've got some business to take care of out of town. I won't be back until tomorrow night, so don't, like...burn the dorms while I'm gone or anything."

Morgan nodded. "Got it. I'll stay as far away from the kitchen as possible."

That aroused some much-desired laughter from the other students. Another hurdle in their lives as students had been cleared at last.

* * *

"I'm heading out first."

Morgan turned in time to see Fie moving towards the door. "Where to?"

"Replenishing supplies," was her terse answer before leaving the classroom.

"I'm sure she'll be fine," Emma consoled her. "Fie worked really hard; I think she deserves a little bit of time to herself."

Morgan nodded. "Yeah. You're right."

"I think I'll also take my leave here."

Elliot blinked. "You too, Gaius?"

"Instructor Sara mentioned that the principal wanted to see me after the end of midterms," he explained. "It would be remiss of me to keep someone of his stature waiting."

"The principal?" Machias raised an eyebrow. "May I ask why?"

Gaius shrugged. "I suppose there's only one way to find out. That said, I do have a few guesses…"

Contrary to his usual behavior, Gaius refrained from speaking his thoughts and left the classroom shortly after.

"I should probably go too."

"And now there are three," Jusis counted. "Where might you be heading off to?"

"The Student Union," Rean answered. "I'm going to check and see if President Towa needs any help for the next few days."

"Really, Rean?" Morgan smirked. "Not even one day after midterms and you're already thinking about helping the Student Council?"

"Sometimes I can't help but imagine that you actually like the work," Jusis commented.

Rean chuckled. "Maybe I've just been studying for so long, I can't help but look forward to being their errand boy again."

"Well, when you put it like that, I suppose we can't blame you for wanting a change of pace." Laura then raised her hand. "Would you mind if I accompanied you, Rean?"

A look of surprise appeared on Rean's face. "No, not at all, but...mind if I ask why?"

"I'm curious as to how the Student Council President is able to juggle so many things at once," she said. "If at all possible, I want to see her skills firsthand so I can learn from her example."

"I'm pretty sure she doesn't do any special training, if that's what you're wondering," Rean responded. "You're still free to come, though."

"Gladly." With a nod, the two sword users left the class together.

"She's bolder than I expected…" Alisa murmured to herself.

Morgan's ears perked up. "Hm? What was that? Could you say that louder?"

Alisa shook her head furiously, her cheeks colored pink. "I-It's nothing! Anyways, is there anyone else who wants to leave?"

All of the remaining students shook their respective heads.

"Great! In that case, why don't the rest of us all walk back to the dorms as a group?"

"That sounds like a lovely idea," Emma supported. "We should enjoy the weather while we can."

"Now that I think about, this is the first time we're all going back like this," commented Elliot.

"Well, minus four people," Machias clarified. "But still, you have a point."

…

Elliot took a deep breath and exhaled. "Whew… Now that the exams are over, I feel as free as a bird! And I'm sure I'll keep on soaring…" His voice proceeded to lower into a whimper. "At least until the results come back."

Machias chuckled. "Yeah, I empathize completely, but personally, I've got a good feeling about these." He then directed his attention towards the other bespectacled student present. "How about you, Emma? How do you think you did?"

"W-Well…" Emma looked like she was thinking of how to best phrase her answer without hurting Machias's pride. "I don't think I did too badly, all things considered."

Unfortunately, Emma's attempts to downplay herself only seemed to trouble Machias further. "Mrrrg…"

Jusis shook his head and sighed. "Just...Just stop before you embarrass yourself."

Morgan, who was walking near the front of the group, turned her head to look at Machias's face. "Ooh, I think he already has…"

"We'll just have to wait and see what next week's results look like," Alisa interjected, trying to change the subject. "Anyway, what do you think that was all about, with Instructor Sara?"

"She said she had business to take care of out of town…" Morgan recalled. "She didn't specify what kind of business, though."

"Going out of town...won't be back until tomorrow night…" Elliot mumbled to himself. "It's almost as if…"

"She's going to meet a s-s-secret lover?" Emma suggested.

"Impossible," Jusis denied immediately. "The Empire hasn't yet turned out a man desperate enough to woo that alcoholic typhoon."

"You have a point," Machias agreed without hesitation. "I can't deny she's got the looks to snare a man, but with that personality…and that lifestyle…"

"Haha, you guys are terrible!" Morgan remarked. "I mean, I totally agree, but still…"

Jusis gave her an accusatory glare. "I suppose you're not so much better than us in that regard, Daraen."

She raised both her hands. "Guilty as charged!"

After some more walking, the group of students finally arrived at their dormitory.

"By the way…" Elliot piped up. "Why do you guys think the principal wants to see Gaius?"

"He's the last person I would picture getting in trouble," said Machias. "Maybe he wants to check in on how he's adjusting to Erebonia?"

"If that were the case, he wouldn't have needed to ask Gaius to speak with him directly," Jusis argued. "A simple greeting in the hallways would have sufficed."

"Right before he left, he mentioned that he had a few ideas as to why Principal Vandyck wanted to see him," Alisa recalled. "He didn't look keen on sharing them, though…"

"Maybe he and Instructor Sara planning a surprise?" Morgan guessed. "Something to celebrate all of us making it through midterms?"

"That does sound nice," Emma commented. "Albeit it seems rather unlikely."

The students took a moment to ponder over their Nordian friend's situation before Elliot interrupted the silence. "Hey, since we're all here, there's something I've been meaning to ask you guys…"

"What is it, Elliot?" Morgan asked.

"So, this just might be my imagination, but…' He looked behind him to make sure no one else was in the surrounding vicinity. "Do you think that Fie and Laura seem kind of...awkward around each other lately?"

Alisa shook her head. "No, you're not the only one. There seems to be a gap between them now."

"It feels like they've been trying to avoid each other since the beginning of the month," Emma admitted. "I wonder if something happened then."

"You say that," Jusis said, "but I did not take either as the type to dwell on petty issues or misunderstandings."

Machias raised his hand. "Actually, I think I might know when it all started."

Elliot looked surprised. "You do?"

"Well, do you remember the day we gave our group reports on what happened during last month's field study?" Machias began. "We gave a truthful account, including the part where Fie used an explosive to blast open the door to my cell."

"And that was when the rest of us found out that Fie used to be in the jaeger corps," Alisa remembered. "So what does that have to do with Laura?"

"The rest of Group B was looking at Fie at the time, so I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't notice, but when that came up…" Machias grimaced. "Laura had a rather...unpleasant expression. It flashed across her face for only a moment, though, so I wondered if I'd just imagined it."

Emma cupped her chin. "Even if we assume that's true, what reason would she have to be upset?"

Slowly, every person's gaze drifted towards Morgan.

"...Wh-What?"

"You're the closest to Fie out of all of us," said Machias. "What do you think about all of this, Morgan?"

Emma bowed in apology. "S-Sorry to put you on the spot all of a sudden."

Morgan scratched her cheek. "Ahaha… Well, like Machias said, it mostly started after Fie revealed to everyone that she was a jaeger, but I'm pretty sure Laura's been thinking about this for a lot longer. Unfortunately, I've only heard things from Fie's point of view, so I might be a bit biased, but I do have a theory as to why they're not interacting as much anymore."

Elliot gulped. "And that would be…?"

Morgan took a deep breath. "It's because the two of them are-"

Before Morgan could explain any further, the door to the Class VII dorm opened behind her.

"Welcome back, my lady," said a lovely voice.

Alisa's eyes widened as she abruptly turned to the direction of the voice. "...Huh?"

'Hey, I think I recognize that voice…' Morgan turned to the Class VII dormitory, as did the rest of the gathered students, to find a young woman wearing a maid's uniform standing in the doorway.

"Ah...uh...wha…" Alisa had been reduced to a stuttering mess. "Sh-Sharon?!"

"You…!" Morgan recognized her as the maid she had met earlier in the week.

The maid smiled, both at Alisa and at Morgan. "It's so delightful to see you again!"

"What are you doing here?!" shouted Alisa. "She didn't...no, Mother didn't…!"

Even at the sight of an angry Alisa, the maid simply giggled like it was nothing out of the ordinary. "Heehee. But of course! I was sent here at the behest of the chairman herself. Starting today, I will be assuming the position of caretaker for Class VII's dormitory."

'I knew it!' Morgan thought.

The maid directed her attention to the rest of the students gathered. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, everyone. My name is Sharon Kreuger. I am a servant in the employ of the Reinford Household, Lady Alisa's family." She held both sides of her dress and curtsied. "I will do all I can to be of service to you, so please, keep me informed of anything you might need."

"R-Reinford?!" Elliot exclaimed.

"So the 'R' stood for…" Emma began.

"Alisa Reinford, daughter of the Reinford company's CEO, Irina Reinford," Jusis finished. "Somehow, I'm not surprised."

Her identity now laid bare for all to see, the Reinford heiress slumped her shoulders forward. "This wasn't how I wanted things to go…"

* * *

"...What are you all standing around here for?"

As soon as she returned to the dormitory, Fie was met with six of her classmates standing in the lobby and looking up at the second floor.

Morgan was the first to notice her. "Oh. Hey, Fie." She then looked past the entrance to see another student enter the building. "Oh! You too, Gaius."

"Is everything okay with the principal?" Elliot asked.

"There's nothing you need to worry about," Gaius answered. "More importantly, I'm also curious as to why you're all-"

"N-Not a chance!"

Gaius's question was promptly interrupted by the sound of Alisa's voice coming from the second floor.

"I thought I'd finally - FINALLY! - gotten away from her!" Alisa continued. "I'm not going to let her have her way this time!"

"My lady, please…" Sharon calmly responded.

Fie plugged her ears. "What's with her?"

"And who is she with?" Gaius asked.

Elliot scratched his cheek. "Okay, how do we explain this…"

He hastily explained the situation to Fie and Gaius over the sound of Alisa's ranting. Eventually, the doors opened again and two more students entered the building.

"I could hear someone shouting from outside," Rean remarked. "What's going on?"

"I see that everyone is gathered here…" Upon saying that, Laura's gaze drifted towards Fie, who tried not to make eye contact.

"I can take perfectly good care of myself, thank you very much!" Alisa grumbled furiously. "Fine! I'll take this up with her myself, then."

Now it was Rean and Laura's turn to be provided an explanation. Morgan mouthed the words "Her secret's out" to Rean.

"Ah…" Rean nodded in understanding.

Laura simply looked at him quizzically, prompting Rean to explain the situation as quickly as possible.

"Anyway, I'm not going to take this lying down! She's stuck her nose into things one too many times!"

The rest of Class VII was taken aback from hearing Alisa's voice reach new heights. Shortly after, they heard two sets of footsteps, one angrily ascending towards the third floor and the other softly descending to the first floor.

Rean squinted his eyes as Sharon came into view. "Hey, it's that maid from the other day…"

Laura turned to Rean. "Oh? Do you know her?"

"Only in passing," he replied in a hushed whisper. "She was here earlier in the week asking where the principal's office was. I guess she works here now?"

"I apologize for the disruption my lady and I have caused you," Sharon said once she stepped away from the stairs. "I see some new faces amongst you, so allow me to introduce myself once more. My name is Sharon Kreuger, a servant in the employ of the Lady Alisa's family. As of today, I will be assuming the position of caretaker for Class VII's dormitory." She proceeded to curtsy once more. "It is a pleasure to meet all of you."

"So she's Sharon…" Rean muttered. "I guess that explains how Alisa got her hands on that recipe."

"A caretaker?" Gaius asked. "I'm afraid I'm not familiar with that term."

"It essentially means that she will be taking care of our basic chores," Jusis explained. "That includes cleaning the building, replenishing our supplies, and preparing our meals, so we can do away with our rotating schedule."

"That's definitely one weight off our shoulders," Machias commented.

"It's weird, though…" said Elliot. "I think I'm actually going to miss it. Cooking for everyone made for a nice change of pace."

"I know what you mean," Rean agreed. "I had something planned for my next shift."

"You are welcome to assist me if you so desire," Sharon offered. "Though with that said, I regret imposing on you right after you completed your midterms, but I would recommend that you stay out of the dorms until the late afternoon." She looked upwards. "Unless you don't mind loud noises, that is."

The rest of Class VII all looked at each other.

"Now that I think about it, it IS a nice day outside…" Morgan muttered.

"Yeah, it'd be a shame if we were to stay holed up in our rooms all day long," Rean agreed.

A beat passed by without anyone uttering a single word.

"I think I'll head back to the academy after I grab my violin."

"You know, I've been hit with a sudden urge to play a game of chess."

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt to pay a visit to the Riding Club."

"I should probably go water the plants."

"Perhaps I should carry some extra supplies in case the art room doesn't have any."

"Maybe this'll be a good opportunity to start that book I've always wanted to read."

"I shall return to my training. Would you care to join me, Rean?"

"I thought you'd never ask. The usual spot okay?"

"I…"

Morgan's voice waned as all eyes were laid on her. "I want to take a day trip out of town," she finally said.

* * *

One twenty-minute train ride to the capital and one two and a half hour flight later, Morgan found herself seated in an airship that was within landing distance of Ordis, the Port City.

"What am I even doing…" she muttered to herself.

Technically, there was nothing wrong with what she was doing; Thors students were granted a lot of freedom when it came to how they spent their free days so long as: 1) it was legal, and 2) they were back in their dorms before curfew. It wasn't uncommon for students who arrived from Heimdallr to go back for a day to say hi to their families, and the fact that both today and tomorrow were free days meant that the students had more time on their hands to relax.

No, she was more concerned with the fact that after she had denied her intentions to visit Ordis just a few days earlier, she was now about to do it anyways.

Then again, a few days filled with midterms was a long enough time for anyone's mind to change. And as for the switch in the form of transportation? That was admittedly her own fault for not remembering a few days prior. Perhaps she had been so used to embarking on Class VII's field studies via train that she forgot there was another, more efficient way to get from one city to the next.

" _If you want to go, then go! You only have one life, right?"_

Perhaps if the subject of the summer festival hadn't been breached upon during her conversation with Crow earlier in the week, she never would have considered taking a day trip to Ordis. But alas, it continually ate away at her thoughts for the better part of a week until today, where she gave in to her urges.

Did she invite anyone to come along? Of course not. She didn't want to keep her classmates from doing the things they wanted to do, and if she were to approach Crow, she was sure that the second-year would rub the fact that she changed her mind in her face. For some odd reason, she was extremely against the idea of giving him any sort of satisfaction.

The airliner slowly began its descent.

Morgan remembered the first time she saw a commercial airliner. It had always been an ingrained thought that ships were meant to be sailing on top of water, so the sight of a giant cruiser flying through the air was almost mind-shattering. However, all of her fears were completely assuaged as soon as she set foot into one. From the moment the airliner began its ascent and soared above the clouds, Morgan had felt a strange sense of calm. Even now, as the view outside the window was obscured by the whiteness of clouds, she was overcome with a sense of nostalgia. Being surrounded by the bright blue sky high above the ground reminded her of when she rode a flying mount back in her homeland…

A jingle sounded over the intercom. "Please make sure that you are seated as we begin our descent to...Ordis. Thank you for flying with us today."

Morgan glanced down one last time at the newspaper that lay open in her lap. The page she was currently on read the following:

 **[Culture] The Man of the Moment to Appear in Ordis**

"This year's Ordis Summer Festival is looking to attract even more attention than usual, as a spokesman for the Imperial family has announced that Prince Olivert will be making an appearance. Known for his refined tastes, his appearance is sure to increase expectations for the event. A source connected to the Imperial family suggests that he may have decided to attend in order to ease tensions between the Reformist and Noble Factions."

* * *

According to the recent census reports, Ordis boasted the second largest population in the empire after the capital, with a population of approximately 460,000 people, though the actual number of people staying in the city at any given time was always fluctuating. This is because of the city's status as a popular tourist attraction, particularly during the summertime when the seas are at their clearest and the city's famous summer festival is in full swing. Ordis was also the home of Cayenne duchy, the leading house of the Four Great Houses, and boasted its own naval force.

Morgan stepped off of the airship and took a whiff of the sea air. Immediately, she realized that all the rumors she had heard about Ordis's beauty didn't do it justice. The sky was a clear blue, with only a few clouds dotted around the horizon, and the sea was just as pristine. Both of these complemented the blue roofs of many buildings very nicely. It was to be expected given its population, but the city was massive, being divided into several districts with their own notable landmarks just like Heimdallr. Right off the bat, Morgan could detect a harbor area that was closest to the sea, a noble district as denoted by a bunch of fancy-looking buildings, and a collection of shops and taverns that appeared to make up a business district.

The festival, according to the newspaper, wasn't due to begin until the late afternoon, but looking at how crowded the streets were, one would be forgiven for believing that it had already been going on for at least a few hours. Most of the shops had special decorations draped over their doors and windows, employees were putting up signs for their respective restaurants, merchants were setting up their stalls along the harbor, and local children were playing tag out in the open. This was an event that only came once a year, and every person that was currently present in the city was there to make the most of it.

"Let's see…" Morgan cupped her chin. "If I was a debaucherous prince, where would I be spending my time right now?"

"Come try our seafood pancakes! Made to order!"

"Welcome to Granny's Ice Cream! Our famous recipe uses local milk and vanilla beans from Ored."

"Meat-and-seafood skewers! Only the freshest!"

Morgan's stomach grumbled. "It's been a while since I ate anything," she remarked. "Maybe I'll follow my nose first…"

…

It was a fortunate thing that Morgan decided to pack some extra funds in her wallet, because she ended up visiting nearly every food stall that she came across. By the time she reached the harbor area, she had already sunk her teeth into tasty skewers, savored the taste of seafood pancakes, enjoyed the crunch of fried vegetables, and stuffed herself with a stuffed meat pie. Now, she was seated on a bench overlooking the ocean while eating a vanilla ice cream crepe.

"Life is too good…" she sighed. "I could get used to this."

Her eyes scanned the horizon and caught a glimpse of a rock formation that was at least several hundred miles away from the mainland.

"A rock? No…" Morgan squinted her eyes. "It looks more like an island. I wonder if you can go there…"

"Haha! So you're interested in seeing Bryonia Island?"

Morgan nearly dropped her crepe. She stood up and turned around to find a familiar face from Bareahard.

"You're…" She had to take a moment to remember the blue-haired man's name. "Baron Bleublanc, right?"

"Correct!" The baron bowed in response. "I'm honored that you remember someone like me!"

'It's a bit difficult to forget someone as eccentric as you,' Morgan thought.

"Tell me: are you here to partake in the Ordis Summer Festival as well?" Bleublanc asked.

"Only for a little while," Morgan replied. "I'm guessing you're here for that too?"

The baron chuckled. "That is certainly one of two reasons. The port city of Ordis is exquisitely picturesque in this time of year, as I'm sure you're well aware, and the festival is most famous for the bonfires that are afloat on the bay at night. It was simply paramount that I see it for myself while on my quest to find true beauty."

"Uh huh…" Morgan took a moment to lick the ice cream on her crepe. "And your other reason?"

"Merely to catch a glimpse of my rival in beauty."

"Your...rival in beauty?"

"Why yes! A fellow connoisseur with fine tastes. Though are ideals may be different, I hold the utmost respect for his pursuit of beauty though love. In fact…" Bleublanc grinned slyly. "It's someone that you happen to know very well."

"!" Morgan's hand instinctively veered towards the orbment in her pouch.

"Oh, there's no need for that, young lady," the baron said calmly. "I am once again a _voyeur_ at the moment. My grand debut in Erebonia will not come for a while, so feel free to enjoy this small respite while you can."

The ice cream was starting to melt and drip onto her hand, but Morgan paid that no mind. 'This guy…'

"If you wish to see more of the city, I would recommend that you visit North Street next. But if you want to visit the island…" He pointed you a small booth by the docks. "You can rent a small boat at that station over there. Though I have a feeling you'll be visiting it before long regardless…"

"And how do you know that?"

Bleublanc chuckled once again. "My, that look in your eye can be considered beautiful in its own right. So this is the gaze of an alien…"

Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, the blue-haired baron was right in her face. He leaned in close to whisper in her ear, "Do give my regards to the Severing Chains, will you?"

"Wh-Wha-?!"

There were about a million different things going on inside Morgan's mind. How did an unassuming, albeit still rather flamboyant, baron catch her by surprise? What did he mean by 'the Severing Chains'? How much longer was this conversation going to last before her ice cream completely melted? As all of those thoughts stormed about in her mind, however, one thing was certain: in the face of Baron Bleublanc, every single one of her impulses was telling her to run.

Then, just as quickly as he had advanced, so too did he retreat.

"I suppose we shall leave things here, then," Bleublanc decided. "Until the next time we meet." He bowed once again before turning around and leaving.

Morgan simply stood there, dumbfounded. 'I didn't notice him coming at all…'

She shook her head. It was clear from her encounter that the unassuming baron was more than what he appeared. Under certain circumstances, he could even prove to be a dangerous combatant in his own right. But if he was continuously hiding his true power, why, then, did he decide to present himself as he did to her just now? Was it because she was connected to his "rival in beauty"? Or perhaps…

"He called me an alien…"

Morgan looked to her crepe. The ice cream had melted, resulting in a cascade of white liquid that covered her hand and was nearing the sleeves of her uniform.

"...Crap." She looked around and made a beeline for the crepe stand. "Excuse me, but could I have a napkin please?"

The elderly lady that was running the crepe stand took one look at her hand and nodded in understanding.

"Thanks." Morgan took the tuft of napkins the vendor gave her. "Also, do you know how to get from here to North Street?"

* * *

As soon as she arrived at North Street, Morgan knew that something was up. For one, there seemed to be an unusually large number of people gathered around the local tavern, and the crowd looked far too clustered to be the line. Furthermore, the closer Morgan drew to the crowd, the more she could make out the sound of an instrument playing.

It wasn't just any instrument, however; it was a medieval lute. 'I know that sound anywhere…'

She deftly weaved in and around a number of people, hoping to catch a glimpse of the music's source. It took a while, but she eventually managed to sneak into the front of the crowd. It was then that she saw him: a middle-aged man with neck-length blonde hair wearing a fancy white-and-blue coat, green pants, knee-length brown boots, a red necktie scarf, and a pair of black sunglasses for extra incognito points.

For the second time that afternoon, Morgan simply stood there, dumbfounded.

The lute player gave one final flourish to end his tune. The crowd erupted into cheers and applause. Eventually, people started throwing coins at his feet.

"Now, now. I can't accept this!" said the blonde musician. "Whoever is the proud owner of this 100 mira coin, I ask that you please take it back!"

"Wha...What…"

The musician scanned the crowd and eventually locked eyes with Morgan. "Ah, now there's a face I haven't seen in a long time!" he shouted over the crowd. "It looks like you were able to make it after all."

Morgan couldn't hold herself in any longer. "WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU DOING, YOUR HIGHNESS?!"

* * *

 **Author's note: Hello everyone! Hope you're all doing okay. I wish I could say the same, but things IRL are just not going the way I want them to go recently. Sometimes a few power outages can do a lot for you.**

 **Anyways, sorry if the switch to take the story to Ordis felt like it came out of nowhere, especially considering what Morgan herself said in the previous chapter, but with Ordis becoming a visitable location in _Cold Steel III_ , I felt a compelling urge to feature it while also featuring some guest appearances from other prominent characters in the series. This will technically be the first part of the token free day segments featured in each month, but I'll be going about things in a different manner this time around to change things up. You'll see what I mean in the next chapter.**

 **Thank you to all who left favorites and reviews for this story. I ask that you continue to be patient with this story moving forward.**


	27. June 19th -20th - Free Day Period, Pt 2

_"Yah! Rrah!"_

 _The sound of wood clanking against wood echoed across the garden. Two individuals were locked in mock combat, one a young girl and the other a middle-aged man._

 _"There!"_

 _"Whoa!"_

 _A solid blow to the chest. The younger of the two barely managed to block the strike in time before the practice sword flew out of her hands._

 _The older of the two let out a soft chuckle. "And that, as your father would say, is checkmate."_

 _Panting heavily, the younger girl wept the sweat from her eyebrow. "Still not good enough."_

 _"Don't be so quick to judge yourself." In contrast to the younger girl, the older man looked like he didn't even break a sweat. "Your swordsmanship is definitely improving. Considering how recently you decided to take training seriously, it's impressive how far you've come in a relatively short span of time. You have your father's knack for picking things up quickly, through and through." He retrieved the wooden sword the girl had dropped. "You have the basics down; all you need is guidance so you can refine your technique."_

 _"Which is something that I don't have."_

 _The older man frowned._

 _Upon realizing what she had just blurted out, the younger girl shook her head and stammered, "I-I'm sorry! I-I didn't mean it like that!"_

 _"No, it's fine," the older man replied understandingly. "There's a limit to how much I can show you anyways. Your mother and I may use the same fighting style, but she made several small adjustments to make it more suited for females."_

 _She nodded. "I know. That's why she and Big Sister Lucy have a different stance."_

 _"That's right. Men and women have different body structures, so it makes sense for each of them to have different strengths and weaknesses. Men have the edge in upper body strength, which is why I stand more upright. Meanwhile, women have the advantage in lower body finesse, which is why both Lucinas hunch closer to the ground while keeping their feet farther apart. Wider hips makes it easier to absorb pushback and move to the side; at least, that's what your mother said."_

 _"I know what to do; I'm just having trouble figuring out the how…" The girl pursed her lips. "What is it that I'm lacking? What can I do to be more like…"_

 _The older male rested his hand on her shoulder. "You shouldn't have to be. You are your own person; don't waste your time striving to be someone else."_

 _"But…"_

 _The older man sat down beside her and motioned for her to do the same. "How should I explain this… When I see you fight, it's almost as if you're trying your hardest to imitate your mother. I won't tell you that you shouldn't do that; in fact, from the moment my Lucina picked up a sword, she always wanted to grow into a woman like your mother. However, you must realize that building yourself off of that single image can limit your potential growth as a fighter."_

 _"Are you saying I should just forget Mother's fighting style?"_

 _He shook his head. "I'm not saying that at all. Like I mentioned earlier, it's clear you understand the basics, so don't forget those. But as of right now? I hate to sound brutally honest, but your current skill set is at the bare minimum required to survive a few minutes on a battlefield. Relying on the basics alone will only leave you underprepared for actual combat."_

 _"Then what should I do? Tell me, Uncle Chrom!"_

 _"I would recommend trying to find something that can help to bridge the gap between your preferred fighting style and your strengths as a fighter. You and Lucina, though referring to the same sword style, are two completely different individuals. Lucina may have an edge when it comes to brute force, but you're smarter and possibly even more nimble. If you're having trouble figuring out how to play to your own strengths, instead of trying to imagine something from the past, perhaps you could take inspiration from elsewhere?"_

 _"Elsewhere…" The girl let her honorary uncle's words sink in for a moment. "Maybe you're right," she finally admitted. "I know for a fact that there's no way I'll be able to beat Big Sister Lucy at her own game. I'll just have to find something else to fill in the gaps and create my own original style!"_

 _Chrom chuckled. "That's the spirit, Morgan."_

 _Off to the side, a large, brown-haired man wearing blue-and-gold armor motioned for him to come over. Nodding, Chrom turned back to Morgan. "How about we make this your homework for this week?"_

 _"O-Okay." Morgan stood up and bowed. "Thank you for taking time out of your schedule to help me train, Uncle Chrom."_

 _He smiled in response. "For my friend's daughter? Anything. Perhaps next time, would you like me to invite Lucina?"_

 _Morgan laughed nervously. "If she wants…"_

 _'Something to take inspiration from? If I can't look back on the past…then I'll just have to look for something to do in the present.'_

* * *

"Whoa…!" "Simply spectacular." "This looks...more than edible."

The students' comments were more than justified. Placed before each of them was a plate of delicious-looking bacon and sunny side up eggs paired with two pieces of toast. Though the contents looked like nothing special, such a platter was a rare sight in the Class VII dormitory.

"I must apologize," said Sharon. "It's taken me some time to familiarize myself with this kitchen, so my cooking has been a bit lackluster."

"Come now, Sharon," Laura responded with a kind smile. "Your skill is something to be praised. This is far more colorful and varied than the breakfast served in my own home."

Jusis nodded in agreement. "I would compare this spread favorably with the breakfast served in the duke's household."

Sharon giggled. "Considering Bareahard's culinary fame, Lord Jusis, I'm honored that you think so." She then brought two hot kettles over to the table. "I've also brewed both tea and coffee, if anyone would like some."

Machias raised his hand. "Some coffee would be great."

While Sharon went over to pour some coffee into Machias's cup, her immediate master looked less than enthused.

"Are you...not impressed with the meal, Alisa?" Emma asked.

"I'm sure all of you are happy with her," Alisa replied, "but I object to everything about this. Considering how busy Mother is, I'm sure she needs your assistance far more than we do."

"Heehee. I knew it." Sharon smiled as she set her coffee pot down on the table. "You're really concerned about her, aren't you?"

"Th-That's not-"

"The way you two care so much for each other deep down is one of the reasons I'm so proud to serve you." The Reinford maid then clapped her hands. "But before we get too ahead of ourselves, my lady, I almost forgot to mention that I made plenty of your favorite apricot jam! Would you like me to spread some on your toast?"

Any evidence of disgruntlement that had been present on Alisa's face promptly vanished in a heartbeat. "Oooh, really?!"

As soon as she let her childlike glee show, Alisa was met with a wide range of stares, ranging from playful to suspicious. Immediately realizing herself, Alisa cleared her throat to recompose herself, but she could do little to hide the blush on her face. "S-Stop treating me like a child, Sharon! Though yes, I would like some jam."

Fie smirked as Sharon went to grab some jam. "Sounds like someone's got your number."

"A-Anyways…" Alisa turned to the person sitting next to her. "You never finished explaining what happened after you found your friend, Morgan."

The girl in question was busy digging into her food, so she held up a finger to tell everyone to wait.

"You mentioned that your friend's a wandering bard, right?" Elliot queried. "I wish I could see him someday."

Morgan swallowed her food and rinsed it down with coffee. "Well, he WAS one. Lately, he's been busy with so many other things that he hasn't had the time to travel a whole lot. This was basically a one-time excursion."

"What sort of things does he do?" asked Gaius. "If you don't mind me asking."

"Well…" Morgan crossed her arms and looked up. "Education," she finally answered. "He's the music instructor at St. Astraia's."

"Interesting…" Rean commented. "You know, my sister also goes to St. Astraia's. Maybe I should write her a letter…"

"Hm?" Laura cupped her chin in thought. "But if I recall correctly, the music instructor at St. Astraia Girls' School is none other than…"

"Anyways…" Morgan hastily interrupted. "After he finished his impromptu concert, a local family invited him over for tea. One thing led to another, and I ended up joining him. I stuck around until the beginning of the festival, then I came back by airship and train."

"It sounds like you had quite the eventful excursion," Jusis remarked.

Morgan laughed nervously. "Yeah, 'eventful' doesn't even begin to describe it…"

* * *

"WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU DOING, YOUR HIGHNESS?!"

Those who heard Morgan's comment started to talk amongst themselves. "Did she say 'Your Highness'?" "There's no way, can it?" "Now that I think about, I think I've seen that man somewhere before…"

The blonde musician sighed. "I suppose my jig, as they say, is up." He proceeded to take off his sunglasses and gave the crowd an award-winning smile. "Yes, 'tis I! Olivert Reise Arnor! I take it you all enjoyed my impromptu performance?"

Immediately, all of the people gathered sans Morgan started to lower their heads in respect.

"Please, raise your heads, everyone!" the prince insisted. "In fact, I should be the one apologizing for distracting you from preparing for the festival. I only wished to view the authentic sights of Ordis for myself while I still had the time, though I suppose this means I've lived up to my unfortunate title of the Debaucherous Prince."

That drew a laugh from the crowd.

"As of right now, I am no different from the rest of you, so please continue treating me as you would each other." He put a finger to his mouth. "But might I ask that you keep this a secret from everyone else? We wouldn't want my grand entrance at tonight's opening ceremony to be spoiled, would we?

In just a few moments, Olivert put the crowd at ease, dispelling all pretenses of being royalty and adopting a welcoming atmosphere with a few choice words.

"And with that…" Olivert took a moment to bow. "I believe I must bid you all farewell for now. But do not fret! We will see each other again in the evening. Until then, carry on as you will. Have a wonderful rest of the afternoon!"

Morgan took this moment to approach him. "Your Highness, I'm sorry for-"

"We can discuss this later," he said. "If you go further in, you will come across a large house. Go there and tell the maid that I will come to visit her master in precisely three minutes. I will try to lose this crowd in the meantime."

"But-"

He rested his hand on her shoulder and whispered, "I'm counting on you!"

With that, the prince put his sunglasses back on, returned his lute to its case, and went on his merry way. The crowd dispersed to let him pass, though a few people left to follow him.

"I guess I can't turn down a request from him…" Morgan muttered.

She turned a right to make her way further inland. The layout of North Street was structured in the shape of a quarter circle with an orbal factory stationed in the middle, ensuring that there was always a path connecting to the main road that linked the harbor area from the business district. Going deeper into the residential area past some steps led Morgan to a building that looked like an apartment complex on the outside, but seeing as there weren't any other visible houses in the surrounding vicinity, she surmised that this was the place Olivert was talking about.

Taking a small breath to compose herself, Morgan walked up to the front door and knocked three times.

A few moments later, the door opened to reveal a young woman in a dark violet maid uniform. She had dark teal hair and similarly colored eyes. "Good day. Can I help you?"

"Um, hello." Morgan bowed her head slightly. "I've been sent by someone to tell you that he will be visiting in approximately three minutes."

"And might I ask who it is that has business with the count?"

'A count lives here?' After looking behind her to make sure no one was watching, Morgan leaned forward and whispered, "Prince Olivert."

The maid widened her eyes. "Could you please wait one moment?"

Morgan nodded, after which the maid closed the door. A minute or so passed with the sounds of indistinct chatter coming from the house before the door opened again.

"Please come inside," the young maid said, lowering her posture. "Make yourself at home."

"Are you sure?" Morgan asked hesitantly. "I'm only here to pass along a message."

"It is the will of both my master and mistress," she insisted.

"Okay, then…" Morgan took a moment to straighten her uniform. "I guess I'll be on my best behavior until His Highness comes back. Pardon the intrusion."

To Morgan's surprise, the residence was far larger and more lavish on the inside in comparison to the rather modest appearance on the outside. The building was comprised of two stories with doors that presumably led to other rooms and there were multiple paintings and orbal lamps that decorated the walls. To the far right side of the room was a lounge area comprised of a rectangular coffee table surrounded on all sides by two chairs and two couches.

Standing by the lounge in front of the windows was an elderly couple, both dressed in a manner that denoted a position of high status. The man had a neatly-groomed mustache and had his neck-length gray hair tied into a ponytail. He was also dressed in a yellow-colored suit and tied a yellow scarf around his neck. The woman following him looked to be of a similar age and had her gray hair tied into a bun. She was outfitted in a long purple dress and had a light blue stole draped over her shoulders.

"Welcome to our home," the older man called out. "I am Theodore Egret, appointed the title of count by His Excellency, Emperor Eugent Reise Arnor III." He then extended a hand to present the woman next to him, who proceeded to bow silently. "And this is my wife, Suzanne Egret."

Following the maid's example, Morgan put her hands over her waist and bowed respectfully. "It is a pleasure to meet you both. My name is Morgan Daraen, and I have been sent here on behalf of His Highness, Prince Olivert Reise Arnor."

"The pleasure is ours," Count Egret responded. "But please, raise your head. Though our ranks are different, we are not so much as people. I am sure His Highness would say the same thing."

Morgan smiled as she eased her posture. "On that, we cannot agree more."

Both the count and countess invited Morgan to sit down in the lounge area. The maid immediately went to work, bringing over a plate of crackers and pouring tea for all the individuals gathered.

"Judging from your uniform, I take it that you attend Thors?" Lady Suzanne asked.

Morgan nodded. "I do. I'm a part of the newly established Class VII."

"Class VII…" Count Egret stroked his chin. "I had heard about it in passing. The first class in Thors history to combine both nobles and commoners into a single group. I would assume that this, too, is another one of the projects His Highness has been working on."

Morgan raised her hand. "If I may ask, how exactly do you know the prince?"

The elderly count chuckled. "I would argue that there's hardly a soul in Erebonia that DOESN'T know about the prince, but I digress. As for why we are acquainted with each other, I believe it would be best to have him explain for himself." He looked to a clock that was hanging on the wall. "I believe three minutes should be up by now…"

As if on cue, three knocks came from the front door.

"If you'll excuse me." The maid bowed dutifully before walking over to the door. Upon opening it, she bowed once more. "Good day, Your Highness. We have been expecting you."

"You look as well as ever, Setsuna," the prince's voice remarked. "I take it my messenger is already here?"

"Yes. She arrived not too long ago."

As Setsuna the maid stepped out of the way, the guest of honor took off his sunglasses and put them in his coat pocket. Count Egret and Lady Suzanne stood up from their seats and bowed.

"It has been far too long, Your Highness," Count Egret addressed the prince.

"It truly has." Olivert also lowered his posture in response. "We haven't met in person since my return to Erebonia last year. Dare I say, the two of you continue to look well for being in retirement."

Lady Suzanne chuckled. "It would appear that the year in-between hasn't dulled your silver tongue one bit."

"Haha. Flattery goes two ways." He then turned his attention to Morgan. "And Morgan! We haven't seen each other since you left for the academy. Are you enjoying your new school life?"

"Can't complain." Morgan stood up and placed her hands on her hips. "Right, now how about you start explaining yourself? Don't you have an event to plan?"

Both count and countess stared at her in mild shock. "Young lady…"

"It's quite alright, Theodore," Olivert said, putting his hand up. "It is understandable that she would be confused, seeing as I roped her into this at the last possible minute."

"Actually, I've more or less grown used to it by now."

"To answer your question, Morgan…" Olivert continued. "I WAS in the middle of preparing for tonight's opening ceremony. However, I had already set aside some time to meet with the count beforehand. You see, Count Egret served as the advisor for the previous Duke Cayenne; some of the policies that brought Ordis its current prosperity can be traced back to him."

"You stretch things far too much, Your Highness," Count Egret commented modestly.

"I only state the facts," the prince countered. "Since the count retired, he has offered advice to many leaders in the empire. I myself have sought his counsel on more than one occasion, and now I am currently here to do just that. And since the topic at hand has a great deal with Class VII's field studies…" Olivert paused briefly to make sure that Morgan was hooked. "I figured that it if I were ever to run into you, it would be best if you joined in as well."

Morgan pursed her lips. "I'm honored that you would allow me to listen in on your discussion, but it's just…" She rested her index finger near her chin. "Something about the timing of all this feels a bit too...perfect, doesn't it? Even by your standards."

Olivert hummed to himself. "I suppose it does… Well, no matter. You're here now, and it would be beneath me to ask you to leave now." He turned to the masters of the residence. "I trust that neither of you have any objections to this?"

Count Egret shook his head. "Not at all. In fact…" He turned to look at Morgan. "The more we talk, the more I can't help but feel that Mildine would have enjoyed your company."

"Mildine?"

"Our granddaughter," Lady Suzanne answered. "She just entered her first year of junior high school at St. Astraia Girls' School. Unfortunately, due to...various circumstances, she isn't at home all that often, so she is rarely able to meet people around her age outside of school. She couldn't attend this year's summer festival as well…"

Morgan took note of the crestfallen expressions that appeared on everyone who belonged the Egret residence, from Lady Suzanne to Count Egret to even Setsuna the maid. Perhaps it was best to not breach the subject further.

Prince Olivert seemed to have detected the uneasiness in the air as well, so he cleared his throat loudly. "In any case, let us save any talk about your granddaughter for some other time. Theodore, if you would provide us some context…"

Count Egret nodded. "Of course, Your Highness."

* * *

"...Say, Morgan."

Morgan looked to Rean. "Yeah?"

"You mentioned that you ran into that baron we met in Bareahard. What was he doing there?"

She shuddered as she remembered her encounter with Bleublanc. "He was just...enjoying the sights."

"He sounds like a creep, if you ask me," Alisa remarked. "He didn't...do anything weird to you, did he?"

Morgan shook her head. "No, he didn't. He did say some cryptic stuff, though. Something about giving his regards to the Severing Chains? I don't know what that could mean."

Off to the side, Sharon caught note of the conversation and chuckled. "Whatever could that mean, indeed…"

Alisa eyed her family's servant suspiciously. "Sharon?"

"Oh, never you mind, my lady," the maid quickly responded. "If I were to offer my opinion, however, this baron friend must have been referring to something in the metaphorical sense. It wouldn't do him any good if he gave his greetings to any sort of chains."

Morgan was impressed by the maid's deduction. "That's a good point. I figured that was probably the case." She sipped her coffee. 'That's what he said too…'

* * *

After their lengthy discussion came to an end, Morgan and the prince bid the Egret residence farewell.

"You might want to be careful on how close you get to me," she advised him. "You're a full-grown man, and I'm dressed like a student. We wouldn't want to cause any scandals on both fronts."

He chuckled in response. "People only see what they expect to see. In this moment, I am the wandering minstrel, Olivier Lenheim, come to enjoy a brief respite with an old companion. I'm sure that the people here wouldn't mind." He looked at her in the eyes. "It's rather late to be saying this, but happy belated birthday, Morgan."

"Thank you, Your-" She stopped to correct herself. "No. Thank you, Olivier."

The two of them walked past the steps leading to the Egret residence and found a bench to sit on.

"Onto more pressing matters…" Olivier sighed. "What did you think of our discussion?"

Morgan grimaced. "I'm going to be honest, it's a lot to comprehend all at once, but given what I've seen on our field studies, it makes sense. Duke Albarea raising taxes in Celdic, using the money as funds to renovate Aurochs Fort, and arresting a family member of the rival faction to use as a bargaining chip. They're all incredibly selfish moves in the short run, but in the long run…"

"I had heard rumors within the Intelligence Division that the the two highest-ranking nobles in the Four Great Houses were secretly meeting with each other," Olivie chimed in. "In fact, that is part of the reason why I decided to pay a visit to Ordis: to see if there was anything out of the ordinary. Needless to say, I think I received a little more than I bargained for."

"You and me both." Morgan clasped her hands together. "You know, a friend of mine theorized that Jusis's father wanted to keep his plans protected, but that begged the question of who he wanted to protect his plans from and why. Now that we know from the count that Duke Cayenne has been spending a lot of time visiting the heads of other estates, I think it's safe to say that they're all preparing for something big. But what? And how will they do it?"

"A perplexing matter, indeed," the prince mused. "I suppose the silver lining in all of this is that they won't be doing anything drastic anytime soon. The Albarea household is currently under heavy surveillance for their activities in the past two months, but that only serves to drive the two factions further apart from each other."

"And that's where we come in, right?" Morgan said. "Show the rest of the world a 'third way' where both commoners and nobles can work together?"

"Precisely. And once you and the rest of Class VII graduate, you will be able to go forth and become the foundation of the world." He put his hand to his lips and spread it like he was blowing a kiss. "Mwa! Like poetry on parchment."

Morgan laughed. "If only things were that simple…"

"Perhaps it won't be, but I'd rather place cautious hope in a peaceful future than not do anything at all, especially not when we have the means to make a difference. My time abroad has taught me that multiple times."

"I wish I could meet these friends of yours someday. They all seem like interesting people."

"Liberl isn't as far away as you might think," Olivier mused. "I'm sure that with your current academic standing, you wouldn't have any issues with transferring over to Jenis Royal Academy in Ruan."

Morgan shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe I'll consider it later down the line. But right now, Class VII comes first."

This prince's smile lessened somewhat, which Morgan took note of. "What?" she asked him.

"Truthfully, I had hoped that whatever spurred you to take a spontaneous trip influenced you somewhat," he admitted. "However, it seems you're still the same in certain aspects."

Morgan looked at him, perplexed.

"I have said this before, but if you have any other aspirations, I would encourage you to pursue them while you still can," Olivier advised her. "The road ahead is one filled with risks and tribulations; I don't want you to feel that we pushed you into this position."

Morgan only shook her head. "I don't feel that way at all. You don't need to worry about me." She put a hand to her chest. "My loyalty lies with the royal family. This is something I've chosen for myself."

A chuckle left the prince's lips. "Truly, we're grateful for that. However, I feel the need to remind you that you aren't legally bound to serve us like the Vander family. You must not forget about the other promise that we made."

"I know," she assured him. "I haven't stopped searching for myself. In fact, I've been making a lot more progress now than I did back then."

"If that is how you feel, then I shall respect your decision," Olivier conceded. "Then again, seeing as you are technically an adult as of this year, I would have to. With that said, would you care for a celebratory drink before I return to my preparations for tonight?"

"You will be returning now."

Both Morgan and Olivier nearly jumped in their seats. Standing before them was a tall, middle-aged man with short brown hair wearing the purple uniform for the Imperial Army. Despite his build, he had been able to mask his presence effortlessly.

"Mueller!" Morgan raised her hand in greeting. "Long time no see! It's good to see you!"

"The feeling is mutual, Miss Daraen." Mueller allowed himself to smile for a moment as he nodded. "As always, thank you for keeping an eye on His Highness. Now if you will excuse me, I'll be taking things from here."

"Mueller, I can explain." The calm, collected visage of the Erebonian prince started to devolve into a state of panic. "We were merely catching up! And I had already told you that I would be stepping out in the afternoon, didn't I?"

"Indeed you did," Mueller affirmed. "We both know that you set aside time to greet Count Egret. With that said, I thought we agreed to go together."

"But you looked so busy with handling security! I wished to give you a break from watching over me! I did it with good intentions, I assure you!"

"And so you thought it was a good opportunity to go gallivanting on your own? I've been hearing some questionable rumors about a wandering bard that greatly resembles the prince waltzing around the city…"

"That's, er…" He hastily turned to Morgan. "Morgan! I implore you to lend me your aid!"

A beat passed by with no one uttering a word.

"Olivier?"

"Yes?"

Morgan gave him the most earnest smile she could muster. "I wish you the best of luck!"

"Ah, I've truly missed that smile," the prince lamented. "A shame it's being directed at me."

Mueller covered his face with his palm and sighed. "Some things never change, for better or worse. Let's get going."

As the prince and his bodyguard started to leave, Morgan remembered something that she had been meaning to tell them. "Oh, but before you go…" Olivert and Mueller stopped and turned around. "I ran into someone on the way here, and he claimed to know you, Olivier."

"Did he now?" The prince raised an eyebrow. "And who might this lovely fellow be?"

"He called himself your rival in beauty," she responded. "His name is Baron Bleublanc."

Olivier's carefree expression quickly vanished. He shared a cautious glance with Mueller, whose face grew more rigid than usual. "Bleublanc, you say?"

"I'm guessing you know him?"

The prince laughed dryly in response. "Well, not as a baron, at least. Did he leave behind a message?"

"He said that he is a _voyeur_ at the moment and that his grand debut in Erebonia won't be coming for a while. Oh, and he mentioned to 'give his regards to the Severing Chains'."

"Severing...Chains?"

"Your Highness…"

"Yes…" Olivier nodded his head solemnly at Mueller. "It would appear that the Society is on the move again. If this 'Severing Chains' is anything like the Direwolf and the Bewitching Bell in Liberl…"

Morgan tilted her head quizzically.

Olivier turned back to Morgan. "Ah, my apologies. I don't think it's anything you need to be worrying about. If I were to give one piece of advice, however, it would be to be wary of the people you invite to your inner circle."

"And the Severing Chains?"

"Likely a metaphorical title. You focus on matters pertaining to Class VII. We will handle these matters on our end."

"And also…"

"Hm?"

Morgan shook her head. "Never mind. It's nothing."

The prince walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Thank you for telling us this, Morgan. We'll see you later this evening."

"Y-Yeah. See you later."

With that, Olivert and Mueller walked away from her.

Morgan sat back down on the bench and stared at the ground. "Should I have told him about that part?"

Perhaps it was for the best that Morgan had opted to keep that part of the conversation to herself. Divulging it to others would only make things even more confusing than they needed to be.

" _So this is the gaze of an alien…"_

An "alien" generally refers to someone who comes from a foreign country or nation, but when looked at from a grander perspective, it could refer to anyone whose origins lay outside the Zemurian continent.

For Morgan, it was an apt description that took the term to its most logical, perhaps even illogical, extremes.

'Am I really that obvious…?'

* * *

"...Morgan?"

Morgan snapped back to the present. "Y-Yeah?"

"I was asking if you were feeling alright," said Laura. "You look unwell."

"Was I really?" Morgan shook her head. "I was just thinking about some things. Like what should I do today now that midterms are over?"

"You know…" Rean held up his index finger. "One of the Student Council requests I received was from George and Angelica. They mentioned to bring you along if you were free."

"Is that so?" Morgan wondered if a certain bandana-wearing upperclassman had anything to do with that. "In that case, hope you don't mind if I tag along for this request. We can even coordinate our plans for the old schoolhouse along the way."

Emma clapped her hands together. "Oh, yes! Please let us know if you plan on exploring the old schoolhouse."

"Yeah. I'd be glad to lend a hand this time."

"Allow me to extend the same offer."

"Guess I'll help out too."

Rean nodded at the other students who went to Bareahard. "Thanks, everyone. Better watch out, though - I might take you up on those offers!"

That aroused some laughter from the other students.

'Well, no use worrying about it now…" Morgan thought as she smiled with her classmates. 'There's no point in looking back, not when I have something to do in the present!'

She pumped her fists to get herself psyched for the day. 'A good tactician has nothing to fear!'

* * *

 **Author's note: And with that, another chapter reaches its end. Apologies if the order of events somewhat confused you, but there were several things I wanted to add that just couldn't fit anywhere else. That was an error on my part, but to compensate, I assure you that the next one won't be as convoluted. Speaking of the next chapter, it probably won't come out for another few weeks, so I wanted to write this chapter before IRL things keep me occupied. I think some of you will be excited to see what I have planned. What things? You'll have to stay tuned to find out!** **(▼-▼)** ✧

 **Also, I want to extend a special thank you to the people who left behind a follow and a review. It's actually rather exciting to see** **that people are becoming invested enough to write different theories about things like Morgan's parentage. It feels like I've taken another step as a writer!**

 **(Finally, in regards to the chapter that was uploaded and then deleted, I forgot to add an entire section, so I had to go back and find it. Sorry for the confusion!** **(ﾉ≧ڡ≦) )**

 **Hope to see you again soon, whenever that may be!**


	28. June 20th - Free Day Period, Pt 3

If there was one thing that Laura prided herself in, it was her code of discipline. Delegating time to her training was something that had been drilled into her ever since she first took up the sword long ago, and there was hardly a time since where she skipped a day of practice. Even on her supposed free days, she would always devote some time in her day to bettering herself in some way or another through sheer force of habit.

So when she saw that Klein, the captain of the Swimming Club, had posted a notice on the front of the gymnasium door stating that there wouldn't be a meeting today due to him and several other core members leaving to visit family, Laura paid it no mind and walked right in as if it were a regular day. She entered the girls' locker room, changed into her school-issued swimsuit, and proceeded to walk into the pool area, not at all surprised to find that she was the only one present.

"So the entire pool is mine for the day…" she mused.

Though a part of her was already missing the company of the other club members, Laura didn't mind the current situation at all. Instead, it made her feel nostalgic for her hometown, which was situated on the shores of a lake that both she and her father would frequently swim in. Said lake also happened to be considerably larger in scale, so the prospect of entering a swimming pool alone wasn't something Laura would be fazed by.

Eventually, Laura made her way to the right end of the swimming pool and began her stretching routine. Once her muscles were adequately loosened, she stepped onto one of the starting blocks and got into position, taking a brief moment to look at the still waters in front of her before hunching her back forward so her hands touched her toes. Seeing as there weren't any other people around to help her record her short-distance times, Laura planned to focus primarily on her long-distance endurance for today's session.

Laura breathed in and gracefully dived into the water.

…

'If I remember correctly, aren't swimming lessons supposed to begin next month?'

Her mind had begun to wander as she transitioned to her warm-down laps. 'It is drawing closer to July, so the weather should grow warmer as well. And when that time comes…'

According to the school, July would mark the time when Thors students could start wearing their summer uniforms, which forego the traditional blazer for a simple short-sleeved dress shirt. Additionally, the traditional combat studies class taught by Instructor Sara would instead be replaced by mandatory swimming lessons. Either way, Laura could feel her excitement building; in all her years of swimming, nothing could surpass the refreshing feeling of dipping into cool water on a hot summer day, and partaking in it with her classmates would surely be an enjoyable experience.

Except…

The brief lapse in thought caused her to unconsciously veer off her straight path. She fortunately managed to catch herself before she touched the wall and realigned her course.

This wasn't the first time her concentration had faltered. Just the day before, Rean had commented that there was an uncertainty in her sword swings during their sparring session. He had chalked it up to post-exam nerves and told her to not let it get to her, but Laura had known better than to take his words at face value. She knew the reason why she was having difficulty maintaining her focus. Whenever she would think about her classmates, her thoughts would inevitably direct her to the individual that she, at the moment, couldn't see eye-to-eye with.

As the daughter of one of the most famous warriors of the Empire and having been brought up in the way of the sword from a young age, Laura would have been lying if she said she didn't have some sort of pride in her prowess. In fact, in the darkest parts of her mind, she enjoyed the idea of partaking in a thrilling duel against a worthy opponent. It didn't have to be to the death, she wasn't that much of a battle fanatic, but so long as two blades were able to meet at their full force with nothing else between them, she could emerge from battle with no regrets. If she won, she could see it as proof of how far she has come. If she lost, she would see it as proof of how far she has yet to go and work harder to improve herself. That was the way of the sword that she grew to love: simple and straightforward, yet still filled with depth. It was what inspired her to enroll at a military academy instead of someplace like St. Astraia's Middle School.

This was also why encountering people who only met her half-way bothered her so much. She would engage them with all she had and emerge victorious only to learn later that her opponent was holding back, so her victory would be hollow. Now, there are always exceptions to this rule; people like her father or Instructor Sara, for instance, deliberately hold back on a routinely basis for the sake of mentoring others. The complications start to arise when the person in question is a fellow classmate, someone who Laura would expect to interact with on a daily basis. If a person cannot be honest in the way they fight, how, then, could Laura expect to understand and trust them in a tight situation?

Laura let herself glide through the water until her hands touched the wall. Standing upright in the pool, she breathed in and out to let air fill her lungs. "I believe that shall suffice for now."

Pulling herself out of the water, Laura dried herself off with a towel and returned to the locker room. Once inside, she removed her hair band, allowing her blue hair to cascade past her hips, and dipped into the nearest shower stall so she could take off her swimsuit. Her mind began to drift off into contemplation once more as she turned on the shower and felt the water drip onto her head.

From the moment she saw her in battle, Laura could tell that Fie Claussell was holding back, and considering the younger girl's small build, the fact that Fie was proficient enough to hold her own was almost extraordinary. One could say that such a feat was too far removed from what Laura had come to know through following the way of the sword, but the world is a massive place, so that much can be forgiven. However, the revelation that Fie was once part of a jaeger corps soured Laura's perception of her greatly. Laura never thought of jaegers in a particularly favorable light, and could anyone really blame her? They were a troublesome lot, willing to commit heinous atrocities without any concern for collateral damage so long as they were adequately paid; to them, the ends mattered more than the means. If one defined knighthood as virtuous and honorable, then the path of the jaeger should be corrupt and immoral. How, then, could Laura ever hope to bring herself to trust Fie?

As Laura was pondering her question, the door to the girls' locker room opened, which was then followed by two female voices filling the air with their chatter. Judging from their high pitch and choice of vocabulary, Laura surmised that both of these voices belonged to two upper-class students. This made her want to stay in the shower a little longer; while interacting with others was in no way a weakness of hers, the upper-class students from Classes I and II, particularly the female ones, often had a tendency to overstay their welcome with long, drawn-out conversations. Fortunately, the other students didn't notice Laura's head of signature blue hair sticking above the door as they passed by and occupied the two stalls adjacent to hers. Their conversation continued even as they turned on the showers on their end.

"By the way…" one of the students said. "While we're on the subject of other students, I happened to hear a concerning rumor the other day…"

Laura began to tune out the conversation (yes, she had a firm understanding of the expression now). Gossiping with friends in the shower wasn't an uncommon occurrence. She reached out her hand to turn off the shower-

"Apparently, there is a jaeger roaming about the campus."

Her hand stopped before she could turn the handle.

"You mean those dastardly Grim Reapers?" the other girl gasped. "Here?"

"I'm afraid so," the student replied scathingly. "Just this past Sunday, an acquaintance of mine happened to hear from another student that a 'jaeger tot' has been attending Thors since the first day. This was right before midterms, mind you, so my mind was preoccupied with other obligations, but yesterday I started hearing the other nobles discussing this matter as well."

"W-Wait just a moment. This sounds like a serious matter. How can you be so sure that this isn't just some baseless rumor?"

"The rumor has been floating about for a little over a week now, so I'm almost certain it's true. And furthermore, the student who first spread the word was from one of the Four Great Houses. Supposedly, he received a tip from his servant."

"Ugh, and I thought Thors was supposed to be safe. Why hasn't the academy done something about this yet?"

"As I said before, it's still only conjecture at this point. Regardless, the fact that we've even reached this point speaks volumes about the academy's recruitment process. They really should put more effort into checking students' backgrounds before handing out invitations left and right."

"Truly. It takes all the prestige out of the Thors name."

The two females shared a laugh. Laura took that as her cue to turn off the shower and make her exit. For whatever reason, she couldn't find it in her to continue listening to the conversation any further.

As she hastily dried her body and put on her uniform, Laura tried to organize her thoughts. Putting aside the fact that word had potentially gotten out about Fie's background, which was troubling news on its own, Laura found herself conflicted. Her heart couldn't stand to hear people badmouth her classmate, but her mind refused to overlook said classmate's origins. There was a dissonance between her logic and her emotions, and for once, she couldn't come up with a way to fix it.

"Do we know who the culprit is?"

"There have been a few names floating around, but the most likely candidate seems to be from Class VII…"

Laura stormed out of the locker room with her belongings in tow. Her hair was still untied, so once she was outside, she reached into her bag, retrieved her favorite black ribbon, and began tying her hair back into a ponytail.

Amidst the tempest of thoughts in her mind, there was one thing that was as clear as day: in terms of mentality, Laura, loath as she was to admit, wasn't any better than the other two girls.

* * *

"Whew! That was great!" Morgan shouted, stretching her arms. "I can't wait to do something like that again!"

"I know what you mean," Rean agreed. "After getting used to moving at high speeds, it almost feels off to have to slow back down. I can see why Angelica likes riding it so much."

Morgan and Rean had just finished their task with George and Angelica, which, much to their excitement, involved test driving the orbal bike. They each took their turn riding the bike on the highway and gave detailed reports of their experiences when they were finished, particularly about how smooth or rough it was to start the engine, shift gears while riding, and come to a full stop. Using their feedback, George would be able to make the necessary modifications to make the bike as stable as possible in the hopes that it could one day prove functional enough for mass production. Overall, the two of them had a great time and couldn't wait to test it again.

"So what the plan now, Rean?" Morgan queried.

Rean blinked. "Plan?"

"For the old schoolhouse," she clarified. "When do you think you'll be going?"

"Oh, right." Rean retrieved the list of Student Council requests from his blazer pocket. "There's one other request I need to complete, so I'll go and finish that now. Once that's done, I'll probably get some lunch and see what everyone else is up to and then I'll go to the old schoolhouse."

Morgan nodded. "Got it. I'm pretty much free for the entire day, so call me whenever you're ready."

"Actually, about that…" Right as she was about to turn and leave, Rean called out to her. "It's great that you're still offering, but could you maybe sit this month out?"

"What?" Morgan tilted her head. "Is there any reason why I can't go?"

"First off, don't take it the wrong way," he said. "You're a vital part of our expedition team at this point and I'm grateful that you were able to stick it out these past two months, but...how should I put this…" Rean cupped his chin. "I think it'd be best to limit the number of people who go into the old schoolhouse. Anything bigger than the group that went in last month would make keeping track of everyone more difficult, and with the floors changing their layout every time, I don't think it's a risk worth taking. Machias, Jusis, Fie, and Emma haven't been inside the old schoolhouse yet, so I want to bring them along for this month. Meanwhile, you, Elliot, and Gaius have already been inside the old schoolhouse twice now, so…"

"Say no more," Morgan interjected. "I'll admit, I'm a bit bummed out I won't be able to try some new team formations, but if it's so everyone can have their turn, then I'll sit this one out."

Rean breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks for being understanding."

"Well, when you have to manage an army, it IS important to switch people out regularly so no one gets left behind," she remarked. "So me, Elliot, and Gaius won't be coming today. What about Alisa and Laura?"

"Yeah, them…" Rean paused for a moment. "Alisa's basically a given, since she knows how to operate the elevator, but as for Laura…"

"That pause tells me you're not thinking of inviting her."

"...Yeah." The tone in Rean's voice hinted it was probably a difficult decision for him to make. "You know how she's been acting lately around Fie. I'm not sure what's going on, but since Fie's going to be coming regardless, I think it's best if they stay apart for now."

"Well, I can't argue with that." Morgan could see the logic in Rean's decision. If the enemies in the schoolhouse ended up becoming more dangerous like they saw last month, then having two people who refused to see eye-to-eye in the same group could lead to disastrous, perhaps even lethal, results; the field study to Bareahard was proof enough of that.

"Which leads me to a favor that I want to ask of you," Rean continued. "Could you keep an eye on Laura for me today? I'm not saying you need to stick by her the whole afternoon, but just...make sure she's holding up okay."

"You're awfully concerned about her well-being," Morgan pointed out. "Could it be that the two of you are…"

"It's not that," Rean flatly cut her off. "We just spar a lot, and when you spar, you start to pick up on some things. If there's one thing I learned from my master, it's that you can tell a lot about a person by how they swing their sword, and lately Laura's been...distracted. I don't know how to explain it, but that's the kind of feeling she gave off."

"Y-You...didn't need to go that far to justify yourself," Morgan said. "I was just kidding. But yeah, I'll be sure to do that."

Rean smiled and bowed slightly. "Thanks, Morgan. I'd ask Elliot or Gaius to help, but they've got their hands full with their clubs. I'll be sure to fill the rest of you in on what happened later."

"You just stay focused on staying safe out there." Morgan returned the gesture, lowering her posture while her left arm made a curtsying motion. "You can count on me!"

* * *

"...Or at least, that's what I said, but…" Morgan put her hands on her hips and sighed. "How would I go about asking someone to let me keep an eye on them? Wouldn't that just sound weird?"

Morgan contemplated this very notion after parting ways with Rean. While she was fairly certain that Laura wasn't the sort of person who would be too bothered by this, simply asking her to follow her around would come off as incredibly conspicuous. Maybe she could try stalking her from a distance? No, that'd probably make things worse.

Maybe she was just overthinking things a tad too much; people did tell her that she had a tendency to do that sometimes. Either way, Morgan had wandered around Trista aimlessly for a while trying to figure out how to deal with the current situation. Rean told her that she didn't need to watch over Laura for the entire afternoon, but the sooner she came up with a way to approach her, the better it would be for the both of them.

Which brought her to this moment in time: standing in the middle of a general store turned verbal warzone by two Thors students.

"I didnae expect those exams tae be so hard!" Becky exclaimed, running her hands through her hair. "What can I do?"

Hugo pinched his nose and sighed. "Don't be pushing your worries onto me. I tried to help you study, I really did, but what did you say instead?" He cleared his throat and said in a falsetto, "'Shut it, Hugo! I'm no taking any advice fae you! I can memorize everything in one go the night before!'"

"Nooo! Stop it!" Becky pulled her green hair over her ears.

"Putting aside the fact that that was a pretty good Becky impression…" Morgan interjected. "I'm guessing the midterms went smoothly for you, Hugo?"

"Rather well, all things considered," Hugo replied. "The trick to memorization is to study up just before you go to bed; then, when you wake up, you review everything once more to seal the deal."

Morgan nodded. "Yup, I know about that trick. I'll admit, it does help to reinforce what you already know."

Hugo turned to Becky with his eyes widened and head slanted as if to say "There, you see?"

"With that said…" Morgan continued. "It requires a lot of discipline, and some people don't have that kind of mental fortitude to stay focused. That's why I also went around asking questions to anyone I could find to see if I missed anything, like the professors, my classmates, other students, even some second year students. All that preparation must've paid off, 'cause I wasn't panicking at all during the exams."

"You're rather thorough," said Hugo, sounding impressed. "Tell me, Morgan, have you ever thought about what you're going to be doing after you graduate?"

"After I graduate?" Morgan folded her arms and looked up. "Well, I do want to be a tactician in the army…"

"Really?" Hugo frowned. "A shame. With your dedication, you can easily get a managing position at Kleist & Co. If you want, you can hand me your resume and cover letter and I can put in a good word to the recruiters-"

"Hugo, fae the love of the Goddess, can ye not go about shillin' yer family's company ev'rywhere ye go?"

Hugo turned Becky, offended. "I'm merely presenting another option. I don't see why you're getting so worked up over something so trivial."

As the two students began to quarrel once more, Morgan put her hand to her face and sighed. "Give me a break…"

The door to the general store opened, followed by a young woman's voice. "Oh? Morgan? What a lovely surprise."

At the sound of her name, Morgan turned to find the person she was looking for. "L-Laura?! What are you doing here?"

"I wished to browse this store's wares. Was that not obvious?"

"Well, it's not that. It's just...kind of rare to see you shopping by yourself. What about your club?"

"There was no meeting today," Laura explained. "Klein, the captain of our club, left Trista this morning to visit his mother. The rest of us have the day off."

"Ah…" Morgan squinted her eyes. "Though I'm guessing based on your hair that you still ended up swimming a few laps, didn't you?"

Laura chuckled in acknowledgement. "I can never be too lax on my training, no matter what day it is. With that said, though, my mind kept wandering elsewhere while I was swimming, so I figured a change of scenery would do me some good."

"And so you came here. Makes sense." Morgan folded her arms and put her right index finger to her chin. "Any particular reason or just cause?"

"The general store has a wide variety of items on display, most of which I'm unfamiliar with," the swordswoman explained. "I suppose since you're here as well, I would like to ask a favor of you if you're not too busy."

"A favor?" Morgan leaned in closer to listen. 'Funny how the only reason I'm here is because Rean asked me a favor. Well, it gives me an excuse to keep an eye on her…'

"You come from Heimdallr, yes?" Laura asked. "I presume, then, that you must be familiar with several of the items on display."

Morgan took a moment to look around at the general store before replying, "Well, there are some things that I recognize…what, you looking for something in particular?"

"I wish to know what sorts of goods and accessories girls our age tend to like."

"Oh…" Morgan was taken aback by her friend's desire. "That's a bit…"

Laura exhaled. "I understand if you don't want to. Having to explain everything to a novice like myself is surely-"

"No, no!" Morgan waved her hands wildly. "That's not it at all. But, um… What brought this on?"

Laura pursed her lips. "I've noticed that there's a significant difference between myself and the other girls here. For example, I went shopping with Monica recently, and while she was fawning over cute accessories and the like, I found myself searching for equipment to keep my sword in shape. Doesn't this prove that I'm rather…" She paused, as if she were trying to find the right word. "Strange?"

"You think?" Morgan tilted her head. "I mean, different people have different priorities, as they say. Plus, Monica's from a lower class, right? It makes sense that you'd have different tastes."

The blue-haired swordswoman shook her head. "Even if we were to view it from that perspective, my preferences already tend to clash with those of other nobles."

"Mm…" Morgan couldn't come up with a response. Then again, having someone called the Radiant Blademaster as a father would probably result in a unique childhood by default. Really, the only people in the school who could keep up with Laura's enthusiasm for swordplay were the members of the Fencing Club and Rean. "Yeah, I got nothing."

"Just as I thought…" Laura murmured. "Regardless, that is of no issue; if there's something I lack, then all I need to do is take the opportunity to learn."

"Well, it's not like I'm a fashion expert, either," Morgan admitted. "I mostly buy stuff based on how cheap or practical it is, not on how it looks, so I don't know how much help I can be in that department. But…" She shrugged her shoulders. "I guess the only way to know for sure is to just start looking."

Laura nodded, looking a little more positive than before. "You may be right."

With that, the two of them broke off into separate directions to find anything that caught their eye.

…

"This 'Dogi' character has a rather gallant look to him, doesn't he?"

Laura had handed Morgan a strap with a picture of a blue-haired, muscular man attached to it. Upon taking one look at the character on the strap, she snorted and replied, "You think so? I think he looks more like a wall-punching brute."

"I-Is that so…?" Laura stammered. "This is more challenging than I had expected…"

Morgan handed the strap back to Laura. "Is this 'Dogi' the kind of person you like, Laura?"

"Like?" Laura cupped her chin as she stared at the character. "Truth be told, romance is one of the farthest things from my mind at the moment. I suppose if I did choose a potential suitor, he would have to be strong in body, mind, and spirit. Those were the feelings I attained from looking at this character."

"So you admire strong men…" Morgan mused to herself. She went back to searching the shelves until she found a particular item that made her grin. "Ooh, I think you'll like this one!" She grabbed it off the shelf and showed it to Laura. "Ta-da! A Running Mishy!"

As Morgan had predicted, Laura's eyes lit up. "My, I didn't expect to find that here. I wasn't aware they came in that pose."

"Yup, they come in all sorts of poses. The one you bought in Celdic was the standard issue one called the Sitting Mishy, and the one we got in Bareahard was a Napping Mishy."

Laura smiled fondly as she took the cat plush into her hands. "Ah, yes. Rean gave that one to me."

"If you like them that much, you should become a collector! I think they're making more of them in the future, so if you keep it up, you'll have an entire army of Mishies on your hands!" Morgan smirked as she cleared her throat and spoke, "Arise, O Mishies, and become the foundation of the world!"

Laura couldn't resist the urge to laugh. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves…"

The two girls spent some more time looking at an assortment of products, from ones that they felt would appeal to other female students and others that appealed to Laura's unique tastes. In the end, though, they ended up purchasing the Mishy plush.

"I couldn't be more grateful for your assistance, Morgan," said Laura. "If it weren't for you, I never would have purchased something so nice."

"Glad I could be of service," Morgan replied. "But you know…"

"What is it?"

"...If you wanted to find out what girls your age liked, how come you didn't go over to Le Sage?"

"The boutique?" The blue-haired noble blinked. "I didn't think I would encounter someone else from our class, much less another girl, so I was hesitant on entering…"

"Well, we're here now, so…" A grin crept across Morgan's face. Everything was falling into place. "Hey, you don't happen to have anything planned for the rest of the afternoon, do you?"

"Not anything immediate, no…" Before she could say any more, Laura yelped slightly as Morgan abruptly grabbed her wrists. "M-Morgan?"

"Ever been on a ladies' day out?"

"I believe I'm not familiar with the term…"

"Then I'll show you! Hope you've packed some extra mira, cause we're going to hit all the shops in Trista!"

"N-Now?!"

"Don't 'N-Now?!' me; of course now!" She winked. "You only have one life, right?"

"W-Wait a moment. I still haven't mentally prepared-eh?!"

And thus began Morgan's escapade through Trista, traveling to all the stores the town had to offer with a reluctant Laura in tow. They went to the boutique, where they spent most of their time looking at clothes and trying them on; the bookstore, where Laura gave Morgan some recommendations on books that she particularly enjoyed; and the flower shop, where they enjoyed some light conversation with the florist about the meanings of certain flowers; and the pawn shop, where they inspected some of Micht's curios. Though Laura was the one who did most of the shopping, Morgan found herself purchasing a few items that she wouldn't have considered looking at had she gone alone.

After a few hours of shopping, they made their final stop at Kirsche's Cafe for a short break.

"Hah, I'm exhausted!" Morgan stretched her upper body onto the table they were sitting at. "I haven't done this in a long time…"

Laura took a sip of her tea. "Did you not take a day trip to Ordis yesterday?"

"Yeah, but that was mostly by myself," Morgan reasoned. "Shopping is WAY more fun when you have friends along."

"I suppose having a larger group means more opportunities to engage with different tastes." Laura looked at the few small bags that was sitting by her feet. "Still, I feel that my grasp on what other girls my age like remains tenuous. It seems I have a long and harsh path ahead of me if I'm to ever truly know."

"Maybe you don't have to know."

Laura blinked. "What?"

Her upper body still sprawled on the table, Morgan turned her head to face Laura. "You're your own person, Laura; you shouldn't waste your time striving to be like other people. You can use them as an example of what to do, sure, but that doesn't mean you have to emulate them completely. You have some unique tastes, but that's what makes you endearing."

Laura looked at her with her eyes widened, almost shocked at the bit of life advice Morgan had just given her. "I suppose if you put it that way… You're affirmative that you don't see any issues with who I am?"

"Positive. I'm pretty sure the others in Class VII can attest to that, too. I'd invite the other girls to come along to prove my point, but…" Morgan stopped herself.

Laura furrowed her eyebrows. "I had a feeling this may be the case, but I may as well ask: did Rean tell you to look after me? Answer honestly."

It looks like she couldn't keep things a secret for very long. "Was it that obvious?"

"Firstly, it is already past afternoon and I still haven't received a call on my ARCUS. Given how long our expedition lasted the previous month, we would need as much time as possible. And secondly, I haven't seen a trace of Rean or the others in our class. It would have been understandable if they were simply attending their clubs, but I didn't catch a glimpse of them at the academy campus either."

"You're pretty sharp, no pun intended." Morgan sat upright in her chair. "Well, I'll admit that Rean told me to keep an eye on you, but he didn't explicitly tell me to follow you everywhere. That part was all me."

A moment later, Dolly the waitress came out of the cafe and handed Morgan a pizza with extra meat on it. After thanking her for the food, Morgan happily lifted a slice from her plate and began munching on it.

"Still…" Morgan said between bites. "The fact that you figured out what we're doing out here means that you've probably figured out why, am I right?"

Laura didn't immediately reply, instead only sighing into her tea. When she swallowed and put down her cup, she said, "Tell me, Morgan: do you think ill of me?"

Morgan stared at her dumbfoundedly. "For what?"

"You and Fie are friends, are you not?" she asked. "It is only natural, then, that you would think of me as antagonistic. That you think I am too stubborn, for not being able to accept her."

"Why the heck would I do that?!" Morgan exclaimed without thinking. "You're my friend, too, you know!"

"Then answer me this…" Laura continued. "If you had to choose a side between myself and Fie, who would you choose?"

"Wha…" Morgan did not expect the conversation to be taken in this direction. "Why do you want to know so badly?"

"Please refrain from answering a question with another question," Laura sternly replied, echoing the phrase Morgan had used during the Celdic field study.

"Ghh…" Morgan hurriedly picked up another slice of pizza to buy herself some time. What should she say? If she had to choose a side, that would essentially be betraying the trust of the other side. At the same time, however, both Laura and Fie were comrades that Morgan couldn't see herself opposing in any way. What if there was another way to fix this where both parties could reconcile? Another way… A third way…

'Unite people from all backgrounds, regardless of status, ability, or even country, to push back the impending darkness…' Morgan remembered. 'But in order to do that…'

She shoved the last of the pizza into her mouth, signaling that her time was up. "Well, for starters, I'd round up the both of you…"

Laura listened intently.

"Then, I'd lock you two in a room where you have no choice but to talk things out amongst yourselves…"

Laura's intent wavered slightly.

"And if that doesn't work, then I'd promote myself from intermediary to interdisciplinary and force you two to make up."

A beat passed by without anyone saying a word. Then, Laura snorted and started laughing.

"H-Hey!" Morgan started pouting. "I had to think REAL hard about that, you know!"

"I-I apologize…" Laura tried to recompose herself by finishing her cup of tea. "That's very much like you, Morgan. I should have expected no less."

Morgan picked up another pizza slice and pointed it at her classmate. "Did you mean that in a good way or a bad way?"

Laura chuckled vaguely as she poured some more tea into her cup. "By the way, Morgan?"

"Yeah?"

"That isn't how the word 'interdisciplinary' is used."

"What?"

"It means 'relating to more than one branch of knowledge'," she explained. "In other words, it refers to disciplines of learning, not enforcing obedience."

"Seriously?!" Morgan exclaimed. "And I totally used that in one of my essay questions…" She continued to pout as she finished her pizza slice, prompting Laura to smile in amusement.

"Hey, Laura?"

"What is it, Morgan?"

"Have you talked with anyone else about this? Your problems with Fie, I mean."

The swordswoman frowned. "Only with the other girls in our class. Alisa and Emma have told me that, as Fie's elder, I shouldn't let my emotions get to me so much, and I can certainly see the reasoning in that. However…" Laura closed her eyes and crossed her arms. "I find myself failing to do so time after time. I...can't quite put these feelings into words, but I suppose this means I'm more hotheaded than I thought."

"So in other words, if you had a way to explain yourself without talking, you'd be able to get your point across?"

Laura hummed. "If only things were so easy…"

" _We just spar a lot, and when you spar, you start to pick up on some things. If there's one thing I learned from my master, it's that you can tell a lot about a person by how they swing their sword…_ "

"Actually…" Morgan said solemnly. "There might just be a way to do that…"

"Pardon?"

Morgan came up with a lot of crazy ideas, but this may just be her craziest one yet. If everything went according to plan, it could give her some much-needed insight on Laura's perspective, but on the other hand, it would require giving up some secrets of her own if she wanted to stand a chance. Was she willing to take that risk?

Who was it that told her, "If you keep holding on to what you know, you won't change"?

"Morgan?"

She snapped out of her contemplation. "Yeah?"

"You were silent for a while," Laura commented, a look of concern etched onto her face. "Are you feeling well?"

"Oh. Yeah, I am." Morgan closed her eyes. "I just had to think, but I'm fine. I've made up my mind."

"About what…?"

Out of the corner of her eye, Morgan saw Dolly cleaning some tables. "Excuse me, Dolly?" she called out while raising her hand. "Check, please!"

"Of course!" the waitress affirmed. "Please wait one moment!"

As Dolly went into the cafe, Morgan hurriedly finished her last piece of pizza. It had gone cold through all the talking and thinking, but cold pizza was still pizza, and one does not simply let pizza go to waste.

"Morgan, what is it that you're planning?"

"You'll see." Morgan swallowed the last bite as Dolly arrived with the check. "First, let's drop off these bags at the dorm. Then, I want you to come with me."

"And where are you planning on taking me?"

Morgan took a swig from her glass of water and left the money to pay for lunch along with a small tip. "The gymnasium. I want to see if the training hall is available."

She looked at Laura in the eyes. "Laura, I want you to spar with me. Your swordsmanship...against mine."

* * *

 **Author's note: To the readers who have been sticking it out for the past several months, thank you all for being patient with this chapter. I understand that I have slowed the pace of this story with such infrequent uploads and no amount of apologies can make up for the long wait, but I am still trying my hardest to find time to write and keep you entertained.** **And to the readers who joined in the time span between this chapter and the last, I hope the wait wasn't too long.**

 **In the next chapter, to much anticipation, Morgan will take up the sword. Please look forward to it!** **o(≧∇≦o)**

 **Last but not least, if you haven't already, please check out the lovely Ramyeon Doodles on Twitter and Tumblr, who drew the new cover photo for this fic!**


	29. June 20th - Free Day Period, Pt 4

**[IS]: Insert song - "Rival (Fire Emblem Awakening)"  
** **[ISE]: Insert song end**

* * *

"Laura, I want you to spar with me."

Under normal circumstances, Laura would have been ecstatic at the prospect. Axe users in general were rare to come across in Erebonia, especially with the advent of orbal weapons that rendered most medieval weapons outdated, and a fighter as crafty as Morgan would undoubtedly yield some interesting matches regardless of who emerged the winner.

But then came the latter half of the request. "Your swordsmanship...against mine."

That caused Laura to hold her tongue. Was Morgan already well-versed in swordplay? It would certainly explain her precision when she briefly wielded Rean's tachi. But why reveal this fact now of all times? Did this have to do with what she commented earlier about making up her mind?

Ultimately, her curiosity got the better of her, and Laura couldn't resist accepting Morgan's challenge. After making a brief detour at the dormitory to drop off their new possessions, the two of them made their way to the main campus.

"If memory serves correctly…" Laura said as they walked. "This will mark the first time the two of us have ever sparred by ourselves, will it not?"

"Yeah, I think you're right," Morgan confirmed. "I guess this has been long overdue, huh?"

"Truly." Laura recalled the first time she had requested Morgan to train with her. The black-haired girl had indeed showed some interest in finding out how Laura trained, but when it came to sparring, Morgan refused to time and time again, instead opting to observe from a distance. The only other time they fought on opposing sides was during Instructor Sara's classes, but Laura was hesitant on considering those group assignments actual sparring.

"Is there a reason you have abstained from using a sword until now?" Laura asked.

"There is," Morgan responded. "Actually, I can think of several reasons. But if I had to choose one, it'd probably be…" Morgan put a finger to her chin, the same way she would every time she entered contemplation. "Fear?"

'Fear?' The answer only seemed to result in more questions. What would someone like Morgan be afraid of? She certainly didn't appear afraid from where Laura was standing.

Laura continued to mull over Morgan's response as they turned left at the entrance to head in the direction of the gymnasium. Right as they were about to enter, a thought came into her mind, which she proceeded to say out loud. "Might this have to do with the scar on your face?"

Morgan's hand stopped at the door. She didn't respond.

"My apologies." Laura lowered her head. "I spoke out of turn."

"It's fine." Morgan turned to Laura and gave a weak smile. "You know, Fie made the same connection too."

That got Laura's attention. "Fie did…?"

"Maybe you two should get together sometime and compare theories. Two heads are better than one, right?"

It was clear that Morgan had said that to lighten the mood, but when she saw that Laura's expression hadn't changed at all, she broke off eye contact. "Right. Getting off-track."

At last, Morgan pushed open the door and Laura found herself in the gymnasium for the second time that day. The two of them walked to the first door on their right and opened it to enter the training hall. To their surprise, the room was mostly empty, save for two students, one male and one female, who were cleaning up the space. Laura recognized them as the primary members of the academy's fencing club, the female being Friedel, the club's captain, and the male being Loggins, her second-in command.

The former of the two was the first to greet them. "Ah, Laura Arseid!" she said with a bow. "A pleasure to see you as always."

Laura returned the gesture. "Likewise, Friedel Gladiole. Although, I can't help but notice that the rest of the Fencing Club isn't present at the moment. Was there no club meeting today?"

"Oh, there was one," Loggins spoke up. Loggins had a reputation to be rather hot-headed, a contrast to the calm and collected Friedel, but today his visage was more angry than anything. "It just ended."

"Did something happen today?" Morgan wondered aloud.

"Hyarms happened." Loggins grit his teeth. "Fricking kid, doing Alan dirty like that…"

Friedel placed a hand on his shoulder. "Loggins, what did we say about uttering such things about someone of his standing?"

"Sorry, but after what happened today? I think he deserves it."

"Are you talking about Patrick Hyarms of Class I?" Laura asked.

Friedel nodded. "The very same. One of our members, Alan, challenged Patrick to a duel today. The former wanted to measure his capabilities against another first-year student, but unfortunately he learned the hard way that the skill gap remains rather wide."

"That's just putting it lightly," Loggins growled. "Patrick knew that, so he decided to use it to bolster his own ego. He was toying with him the whole damn time. That match was a complete disgrace to the art." He looked at his companion. "I'm surprised you can be so calm after seeing all that."

"Such behavior is common among nobles, I'm afraid." She closed her eyes solemnly. "Even I have my moments where I delight in taking my time when dismantling an opponent."

"At least you don't go around being a pompous prick about it." He turned to face Laura and Morgan. "But we're going off topic. Why are the two of you here?"

"We were wondering if we could use the training hall if you were done," said Morgan.

"Oh, what's this?" Friedel's eyes lit up. "Is this a duel I smell brewing? This should prove much more entertaining than the one we witnessed earlier today. What do you say, Loggins? Care to stay and watch?"

"I think I'll pass. That match left me in too sour a mood to care." He didn't waste any more time in grabbing his green blazer, which was resting on a nearby bench. "Go ahead and do whatever you want. Friedel, I'll leave the rest to you."

The club captain simply smiled and waved good-bye as her partner exited the room.

"Don't let his rough exterior deter you," Friedel said once the door closed. "Loggins just gets rather defensive when he sees people getting picked on by those of higher standing. He and Alan are among the only commoners in the Fencing Club, so they get along rather well. Thus, you can imagine how he felt when he saw Alan lose in such a manner."

"Hearing that makes me like Patrick less and less," Morgan snorted. "People like him give nobles a bad name, no offense."

"There's no doubt that he is lacking in humility," Friedel conceded, "but frankly, that is something that can't be learned overnight. Even after saying that, though, he truly can back up his words with skill. Granted, his footwork and approach could use some improvement…" The fencing captain shook her head, realizing that she had started rambling. "Ah, but I'm getting sidetracked. The two of you wish to spar, correct? I can't help but notice that neither of you are carrying weapons."

"I don't have a sword of my own," Morgan explained, pointing to a large crate in the far corner of the room. "So I need to borrow one from the training hall."

"And I'm assuming that Miss Arseid decided to go along with you to even the playing field?"

Laura nodded. "That is correct. You're as astute as the other second-year students have said."

Friedel smiled. "If the two of you so desire, I can do the honors of overseeing this match."

"That won't be an issue for me. Would that be alright with you, Morgan…?"

The girl in question had already started walking towards the large crate. Opening the lid of the crate, Morgan brought out two wooden swords, one a large two-handed sword and the other a medium-sized one-handed sword. She walked over to Laura and held out the two-handed sword. "I don't mind. We'll go to first hit wins."

She gestured for Laura to take the large sword from her hand, which she did. The wooden sword in her hands was likely the heaviest one in the crate, but even then it wasn't as heavy as her normal two-handed sword. Then again, both her sword and her father's sword would make anything else seem light in comparison.

The two of them made their way to the center of the sparring hall, placing themselves a small distance from the two designated marks on the floor. Friedel, meanwhile, stood at the outer edges of the arena, marked off by a yellow rectangle.

"Let me lay down some rules just so we're clear," Friedel announced in a loud voice. "You are free to use the entire space of the arena, but stepping outside the yellow boundaries will result in an immediate loss. Furthermore, as we're indoors, the use of orbal arts will be prohibited. The winner of this duel will be decided when either one of the combatants lands a clean hit on the other. Do the both of you consent to these rules?"

"I do." Laura lifted her sword into her battle stance.

Morgan stayed still, gripping her wooden sword.

"Morgan, do you consent to the rules of the duel?" Friedel asked once more.

"Yes, I do," Morgan finally spoke. "But before we begin, can I say something first?"

"What is it?" Laura asked.

Morgan stared back impassively, which was enough to indicate to Laura that she was being completely serious. Morgan was usually one of the more expressive members of Class VII, almost always having some sort of playful glint in her eyes, so seeing all of her cheerfulness gone, even if only for a brief moment, was very jarring to see.

"Laura, I want you to come at me as if I'm Fie," she finally replied. "I don't want you to try and get those thoughts out of your head. Instead, I want you tap into those feelings and act based on them."

Laura furrowed her eyebrows. "That would prove difficult, considering you're not using her weapons."

"True," Morgan admitted, "but that doesn't mean I can't act like her to gauge your reactions. Trust me; you'll see what I mean."

'Truly, you're already doing a good job at replicating her face,' Laura quipped in her head.

Morgan's free hand reached over to grip her other arm and took a deep breath. Laura squinted her eyes. Was her arm...trembling?

"Rean told me something earlier today," she continued. "His master said that you can tell a lot about a person by how they swing their sword. I'm not going to pretend that I understand exactly what's going on between you and Fie, but there are some things in life you can only share with someone by fighting. Words and logic can only get you so far; that's why sometimes you have to fight to get your point across. So promise me one thing for this duel…"

She stopped to change her footing so she was standing sideways with her right leg in front of her left. Then, she closed her eyes and held her sword close to her chest, as if saying a word of prayer. "Don't think - feel!"

 **[IS]** At that last word, her eyes bolted open and her stance lowered. She held her sword hand close to her face, making the blade point in Laura's direction, while her other hand was open facing forward. The stance she was now in left little openings, and the few that she did leave could easily be covered. "I'm ready now!"

Laura blinked in surprise. It was almost as if Morgan had become a completely different person. Gone was the carefree axe-wielder who would intentionally leave herself open to learn the fighting styles of others, now being left with a cautious, guarded individual who seemed prepared to counter any strike.

"Then we shall commence this duel. Combatants, _en-garde_!"

Both Laura and Morgan readied themselves.

" _Pret_... _allez_!"

At the sound, Morgan dashed in quickly to deliver a horizontal slice. Laura hastily blocked the strike, but Morgan continued pressing her attack. Her swings were relatively similar to how she swung an axe, but they were considerably more quicker and precise, no doubt thanks to the sword's lighter weight. If it weren't for the fact that she was currently on the receiving end of her assault, Laura would have commended Morgan's form.

Refocusing herself, Laura grunted and pushed her blade against Morgan's, signaling that it was now her turn to attack. She swung her sword and aimed for Morgan's side, but her opponent was ready. Placing her free hand on the blade of her wooden sword, she blocked the strike and used the momentum to push Laura's sword out of the way.

'Irregular guarding?!' Laura exclaimed in her mind. In contrast to conventional guarding, irregular guarding involved placing one hand on the blade so the user could use the full lateral length of a sword to ward off attacks. This allowed for better control of defending certain areas but it also prevented the wielder from using the full disjoint of the sword as a means to retaliate. Laura had recognized it as a technique that Rean often used; had Morgan learned how to do it simply from observing their duels?

Not a moment later, Laura jumped backwards to move out of the way of Morgan's counterattack before readying her blade to retaliate. She performed a stab, which was fended off by another guard, and quickly followed up with an overhead slash. On reaction, Morgan sidestepped and rolled to the side. Once she was in an upright position, she leapt from the ground and performed a spinning slash. Had Laura not turned with Morgan instinctively so she wouldn't run the risk of facing her opponent with her back turned, she would have been hit. She faltered for a moment before leaping backwards and holding her sword up in a defensive position.

Truth be told, she had always suspected that Morgan had at least seen some form of combat prior to entering Thors; her quick reflexes, battle-honed mind, and affinity with a tactical orbment were enough to indicate that. However, this was beyond anything she had ever expected. It wasn't just coming up with tactics on the fly or having an extra orbment on hand; Morgan had been holding back an entirely different way of fighting from under Class VII's nose. Laura's mind couldn't help but try to piece together why she would wield an axe or a polearm when she showed at least this much proficiency with a sword. Who was it that taught her? Did she have some sort of experience that led her away from it? Was it simply because she was looking for a challenge? If that was the case, just what other hidden skills was this girl keeping from the classmates she claimed to be friends with? All these questions left Laura with an odd feeling that she couldn't describe but swore she felt somewhere before. It was almost as if…

Ah, yes. Now she remembered. This was the same feeling she had when she found out that Fie was a jaeger.

Morgan flourished her sword and readied it by her side with her left arm cocked upwards, signaling her intention to attack. Laura readied her own sword in response, bringing it behind her. A few moments later, both combatants dashed forward and met in the center of the room, their wooden blades locked together.

As Laura got a closer look at her opponent's impassive expression, she began to visualize the stoic face of Fie. She looked into those bored, emotionless eyes that always seemed to know something Laura didn't. They were eyes that looked so drained of life from having taken so many lives, yet they possessed enough of a spark to continue staring right back.

What was it that those eyes had seen? What was it that led them to live that sort of life? For what reason did they continue to live?

The more she clashed with them, the more determined she felt to unearth those secrets. The more determined she felt, the less she found she cared about her opponents' origins. Such matters were trivial on a battlefield; the only thing that was important at the moment was emerging victorious.

Laura began to press harder against her blade, which caused Morgan to shift backwards. In terms of brute force, there was little doubt that Laura was the strongest among the females in Class VII and possibly one of the strongest first-year students, period. So long as she continued to place herself in situations that favored strength, she would be able to triumph in due time. Thus, her objective was to figure out how her opponent moved and attack when she least expected it.

Morgan started to buckle under the weight of Laura's sword. In a last ditch effort to escape, she pressed her free hand on her wooden blade and pushed it to the side, redirecting Laura's force and allowing her to twirl out of harm's way. As both fighters returned to a neutral position, Laura noted that Morgan's sword arm was once again trembling, which was promptly stopped when her opponent gripped it with her other arm and took a deep breath. Any opportunity to ask if Morgan was ready to continue was prematurely hushed by the sight of her readying her sword, holding it close to her face and pointing it in Laura's direction. Instead of preparing an attack of her own, Laura adopted a defensive stance and stood her ground, challenging her opponent to try and open her guard. Taking the bait, Morgan dashed forward once more and began to press her offense.

With each strike she successfully guarded and parried, Laura began to understand Morgan's behavior. Her opponent would alternate between delivering quick, precise swings and utilizing tricky footwork, almost reminiscent to the movements of a dancer, to either continue pressing the offensive from a different direction or retreat backwards to a safe distance. This made the timing of her approach, as well as some of the force of her attacks, much more ambiguous and harder to predict. However, just like with any other dancer, Morgan's movements hinged upon one important aspect: her lower body. If Morgan's legs and feet were restricted in their movements, then that would make it significantly easier for Laura to catch up to her.

Thus, Laura altered her approach. Upon finding a gap in Morgan's assault, she retaliated with a stab aimed at Morgan's right leg, forcing Morgan to guard the attack lest she suffer a hit and lose the match. In doing so, however, she gave up a crucial opportunity to retreat to a safe distance. Now that Laura had her opponent in her reach, she continued applying pressure directed at her opponent's lower body, thereby forcing Morgan to block instead of evade. It wasn't before long that Laura had Morgan cornered at the edge of the yellow boundaries.

"How will you respond to this?" Laura prepared a thrust forward, but before the attack could come out, she twirled and performed an upwards swing. Morgan sidestepped and rolled to the side, hoping to attack Laura from behind.

Except this was what Laura had been waiting for her to do.

"Not this time!" Laura quickly shifted her feet so that she was facing the other direction. Her arm still raised from her previous attack, she brought her weapon down right as Morgan tried to leap from the ground. Their wooden swords met once again, but Laura's strength once again proved greater, causing Morgan to teeter off balance.

Raising her sword high with both arms, Laura envisioned herself standing in a body of water. The water was still, the kind where even the slightest touch would send ripples across the surface. Laura focused on emptying her mind, ridding herself of the thoughts that had plagued and bothered her over the past few days and releasing them into the water around her through her feet. Then, she began to concentrate whatever energy had been left over and poured it into her weapon. Her sword now glowing with her own essence, Laura brought it down forcefully, causing the water, along with her unneeded thoughts, to be split in two.

In reality, the force of her swing had cut a straight line through the air and send a shockwave flying in front of her. Because she had exchanged her usual zweihander for a wooden substitute, Laura couldn't swing her weapon as hard as she normally would lest she risk breaking her sword, but even then she was still able to leave a visible mark on the ground on which she struck. This was one of the techniques of the Arseid school, titled "Earth Cleaver", and right now, Morgan was on the receiving end of it. She put her sword up in one last attempt to guard against the incoming attack, but the preceding exchanges had already taken their toll on her stamina. Thus, it was no surprise that the shockwave broke her guard with little effort, leaving her staggered and open to attack.

'Now!' Laura advanced on Morgan's position. She was not going to waste this chance. "You're mine!"

Morgan's eyes widened in fear. "No!" she gasped.

"That's enough!" **[ISE]**

Laura halted her attack mid-swing, moments away from landing a clean hit on her opponent. Morgan didn't even try to guard against the strike, hence why Friedel made her call. Trembling, Morgan dropped her sword and fell to her knees.

"That wasn't the way I was expecting it to end…" Friedel remarked as she walked over to where the duelists were. "But that was a spectacular duel. In the end, I think we can agree that Laura was the victor."

Laura stood up straight and closed her eyes. The duel had left her winded, but at the same time she felt refreshed. Had sparring always felt this way?

No, there was more to that. In this particular duel, Laura had deliberately cast aside her thoughts until there was nothing left but a desire to win. In doing so, she had become more accepting of learning about her opponent. In just a short span of time with minimal words used, she had reached a basic understanding of the kind of person Morgan was underneath her normal behavior.

"I was surprised," Laura finally said, still trying to catch her breath. "I didn't expect to have my back against the wall so many times." She opened her eyes. "Your skill was commendable, Morgan. Thank you for giving me this chance to spar with you."

Laura smiled at her classmate and had begun to reach out her hand to help her back up. However, it soon dawned upon her that something was wrong. Morgan remained in the same position, her body still trembling and her face still stricken with the fear of getting hit.

Laura frowned. "Morgan? Is something the matter?"

"I-I…" she stammered.

"The bout has already ended," Friedel added, kneeling beside her. "Come. Up on your feet."

The fencing club captain offered her hand, but Morgan smacked it away. "S-Stay away!"

"Morgan?" Now Laura was getting worried.

Morgan stared at her trembling hands. Her breaths started to quicken at an alarming pace. "I…no…!"

"Morgan, please pull yourself together!" Laura made the mistake of putting her hands on Morgan's shoulders, which caused her classmate's body to stiffen in response. "Morgan?"

"A-Ah…" Morgan's eyes seemed to stare several selge past her head. "Lucy…"

Without warning, she collapsed forward into Laura's arms.

"M-Morgan?!"

* * *

 _Two swords clashed against each other underneath the dark night sky. One belonged to a soldier wearing an eye-obscuring helmet. The other belonged to a young woman with blue-hair that reached her shoulders and a tiara adorning her head._

 _Neither fighter moved an inch. They had reached a standstill._

" _Your movements…" the blue-haired woman muttered under her breath. "I see now…" She squinted her eyes at the helmeted soldier. "It is you, isn't it?"_

 _The soldier didn't respond, instead opting to continue standing their ground._

" _Very well then." The blue-haired woman broke from the blade lock and jumped backwards. "Let us settle this once and for all."_

 _She readied a special stance. The helmeted soldier also mirrored the same stance. Both of their swords started to glow yellow. A few moments later, they dashed forward and clashed their swords once more._

" _Haaaaa!" "Raaaaa!"_

 _Both combatants screamed as they put their full force into their attack._

 _In the end, however, the winner was decided not by the strength of their attacks but by the quality of their weapons. Cracks started to spread throughout the soldier's blade while the blue-haired woman's sword continued to remain intact._

" _!" The soldier's sword eventually gave way, breaking in two._

 _The blue-haired woman followed through with her motion, spinning in the air before landing on the ground and leaping backwards. Then, she raised her sword behind her, causing it to glow with a holy blue aura._

 _There was no way she was going to miss this chance. "You're mine!"_

 _The woman dashed forward and slashed diagonally upwards._

* * *

Morgan woke with a start. She was sitting upright in a white bed with two other beds situated on either side of her.

This place was…

"Morgan?" a low voice called from her left.

Morgan turned her head. Her vision was still rather hazy, but she could make out the outline of a young woman with blue hair.

"M-Mother…?" she croaked.

The woman shook her head. "No, it's Laura."

Her vision began to clear up. Indeed, it was her classmate that was sitting by the side of the bed.

"O-Oh. Right." Morgan blushed slightly in response and looked away. "Where are…"

"You're in the infirmary," Laura told her. "After our duel, you abruptly fainted. Friedel notified Instructor Beatrix, and you were then carried here."

"Friedel did…?" Morgan's memory of the past few hours was rather hazy, but she could remember the calm, collected face of the captain of the fencing club.

"Oh, that's right. How long was I out for…" Morgan looked at the window. "Wait, it's almost sunset?!"

Laura followed Morgan's gaze. Outside the window, the sky had already started to turn red.

"You were asleep for a few hours," Laura confirmed. "Elliot and Gaius visited you while you were unconscious, as did Angelica, President Towa, George, and Crow. They were all worried about you."

"They did?" Morgan felt touched that there were people who came to check up on her, but even still… "I really overdid things, didn't I?"

"You only did what you deemed was necessary in the moment, regardless of whether it was the 'right' thing to do or not." Laura shifted her position in her chair so that she was hunching over. "With that said, I do believe an explanation is in order. I understand if you don't want to disclose your personal details, but after seeing your condition earlier today, I'm afraid I cannot let this slide."

Morgan sighed. "And here I thought I was the one who was going to help you with your problems, not the other way around."

Laura allowed herself to smirk before returning to a concerned expression. "Has this always happened?"

"You mean the freaking out?"

"For the lack of a better term."

"Ever since two to three years ago, give or take," Morgan responded. "I...dream a lot in my sleep. Sometimes they're good dreams, other times they're bad. Sounds normal, right? Well, I wake up one morning from a bad dream, and all of a sudden, I couldn't pick up a sword without dropping it." She curled up her legs underneath the bed sheets. "All because every time I pick up a sword, it reminds me of one nightmare in particular.

"I'm in the middle of a clearing. I don't know where since it's nighttime, but I'm fighting against someone. Eventually, we clash, but my sword breaks. Then, that person...she swings her sword at me. That's where the dream ends." Morgan have a weak smile. "Bet you can't guess where she hit."

Laura stared intently at her face. "Morgan, it's just a nightmare."

"That's what I thought, too. But my body says otherwise." Morgan's left hand unconsciously drifted towards her right arm. "The reactions were worse back then. For the longest time, I stayed away from swords like the plague; that helped to ease the nightmares a bit. Then, a few weeks ago, I was able to hold Rean's tachi for a short period of time. I thought that maybe since I was able to do that, I could try using a sword again."

"And so you decided to take a gamble by challenging me to a duel," Laura surmised. "But why not ease your way into swordsmanship? Why choose to spar with me instead of Jusis or Rean?"

"Actually, it's precisely because it's you that I wanted to take a chance."

"Because it's me…?"

"I know that you're a good person, Laura. If there's one thing I learned ever since coming here, it's that everyone has secrets. Most people are hardly what they appear at first glance. But you're one of the few exceptions; you're straightforward and direct, and you wear who you are proudly on your sleeves. In other words…" Morgan paused to take a breath. "You're the complete opposite of someone like Fie."

Laura's expression hardened at the mention of the girl's name.

"L-Look, just...hear me out, okay?" Morgan stammered. "Do you remember what you asked me during lunch today? About what I would do if I had to choose between you or Fie?"

Laura nodded. "I do."

Morgan took another breath. "To be completely honest, I can't choose between the two of you. You're my friend, Laura, but so is Fie. I don't want to stay friends with one if it means giving up the other. That's why I want to take a third option and help you two to make up as soon as possible. But in order to truly get to the root of the problem, I needed to walk in one of your guys' shoes, and…" She scratched her head sheepishly. "No offense, Laura, but it's easier for me to walk in Fie's shoes than it is to walk in yours."

A thought seemed to dawn on Laura. "Then, what you said before our match, about acting like her…"

Morgan chuckled. "You're a smart girl. I'm sure you figured out my aim sometime during the fight." She placed her hand on her chest. "I could feel them, you know? The weight behind your strikes. They were cautious at the start, but once you started to get serious, they felt more focused and concentrated. I didn't stand much of a chance after that, but at least I got what I needed to know."

"Which is…?"

"I think that deep down, you don't hate Fie. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that you really want to get to know her. You wouldn't have gone all-out on someone and still kept your cool if you legitimately hated them. However…" Morgan cupped her chin. "There's something stopping you from going all the way, like what you're doing by talking to me. Maybe it's the fact that the two of you are complete opposites, or maybe it's because you don't like people who only meet you halfway. I don't know. At any rate, I think I have a better understanding of why you two aren't seeing eye to eye."

Laura appeared to be taken aback at her thought process. "So you went through all of that, even knowing your own limitations, just for us?"

"Pretty much!" Morgan puffed out her chest. "What do you think? I can be such a genius sometimes!"

"When you're putting yourself at this much of a risk? I am inclined to think otherwise." Laura's expression was stern yet full of concern. "I appreciate that you're going to such lengths for others, but please count yourself in the number of people that you're helping."

"So long as everyone has a smile on their face at the end of the day, I don't mind." Morgan shifted her legs from under the covers.

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that." Laura reached out her hand to prevent Morgan from stepping out of bed.

"I'm fine, Laura," Morgan assured her. "Really, I am. Especially after we talked things out."

"Perhaps you may be fine…" Laura said. "But Instructor Beatrix told me to watch over you until she returned from a faculty meeting, and I would rather not test the patience of someone of her status."

If Instructor Beatrix was a factor in all of this, then Morgan had no choice but to stand down and comply. One does not simply go against a nurse's orders. "Fine…"

She shuffled her legs back under the bed covers. "What about you, Laura? How are you feeling right now?"

"Me?" Laura pursed her lips. "Everything that occurred this afternoon has been enlightening for me. However…" Her expression fell. "I feel that I still require some more time to process everything, from what you have just told me to my own feelings on the matter. I understand that this may be selfish, considering the risk that you put yourself through…"

"Well, Heimdallr wasn't built in a day. You should take your time in thinking this through. One thing to remember, though…" Morgan held up her index finger. "Our practical exam is coming up this week, and if the last two field studies are of any indication, Instructor Sara might have something planned for our groups this time around. You might want to be prepared just in case."

"I will keep that in mind." Laura looked at the clock on the far end of the room. "It is nearing 5:30, so Instructor Beatrix should be on her way back. I will need to take my leave so she can perform her examinations, but before then, can I ask you one question?"

"What's up?"

"Throughout my years of training, I have been exposed to a myriad of different fighting styles," Laura began. "I have fought against a variety of different opponents, and I have seen my father battle against many more. But despite this, I have never seen a fighting style quite like yours. That is why I wish to know…" Her eyes were filled with a desire for knowledge. "Morgan, where did you learn how to use a sword?"

In the end, it came to that question. Morgan had anticipated its inevitability ever since she made up her mind to challenge Laura to a duel.

"I first picked it up when I was a kid," she finally answered. "I had a lot of people who helped me back then. There was an uncle of mine who helped to hammer down the basics, a friend and his family who showed me how to play to my strengths, an older sister who pushed me to go past my limits, and a few other kids I used to spar with in my free time…"

She looked up wistfully. "But in the end, the ones who really started it all were my parents. Well, my father just knew how to make it look cool; it was my mother who inspired me to take it seriously. She was a swordswoman, one of the best in the land, but she was also kind and gentle towards others." She then looked at Laura. "Kind of like you."

"Is that why you call me 'Mother' on occasion?" Laura guessed. "Because I remind you of her?"

Morgan rubbed the small of her back. "I'm sorry if that sounded weird, but...yeah, you do. You have the same headstrong personality, the same proficiency in combat, even a head full of blue hair…" Morgan then started giggling. "And you're both totally clueless when it comes to shopping."

Laura couldn't help but blush and yell, "I beg your pardon?!"

Morgan couldn't hold back any longer and burst out laughing. "Don't worry. I mean that in the most endearing way possible."

The door to the infirmary opened, followed by the sound of a group of footsteps entering the room.

"Hello? Instructor Beatrix?" a male voice called out.

"It looks like there's no one in at the moment," a female voice sounded.

"No, I can definitely sense some people in here…"

"Rean? Is that you?" Laura got up from her seat and walked to the entrance to the bed area, where she was met by Rean and the classmates he chose to accompany him to the old schoolhouse.

"Laura?" asked Rean. "What are you doing here?"

"I might ask the same thing," she replied. "Have you come back from the old schoolhouse?"

"Hey, Rean!" Morgan waved her hand from her bed. "Welcome back!"

"M-Morgan?!" Emma exclaimed. "What are you doing in bed?"

Morgan laughed nervously. "Ahaha… It's kind of a long story."

Another pair of footsteps made their way to the entrance.

"Elliot and I saw you all making your way to the infirmary," Gaius explained, "so we decided to follow you."

"Did I hear Morgan just now?" Elliot queried. "Thank Aidios she's awake!"

"Awake from what?" Alisa asked in response. "Did something happen while we were gone?"

"Goodness, I didn't expect things to become so lively once I came back!" said an elderly voice from the entrance to the infirmary.

The entire class turned in the direction of the voice. "Instructor Beatrix?!"

"I never imagined the entirety of Class VII would be in my office at one time," Instructor Beatrix chuckled. "I can see some of you have bruises, but right now I need to check on a patient. Perhaps you can tell us about your daring expedition into that old schoolhouse while we wait?"

* * *

To summarize, Rean's group found that the old schoolhouse followed a series of set rules. First, there is always a door at the entrance to every floor. Second, there is a really tough monster waiting at the end of every floor. Third, a new floor opens up for the class to explore, though the layout of the floor is still random. The students felt that the task of "completing" each floor was akin to a form of complicated test, which opened up a new bag of questions in regards to who made the floors the way they were and why. The month's expedition ended without a hitch, though a few of the members had sustained some bruises while fighting against the floor's boss monster, hence why they made it their first priority to visit the infirmary.

The good news was that all of Class VII was allowed to leave once Instructor Beatrix had finished tending to them. Even Morgan was deemed fit to be discharged, though the elderly woman warned her to avoid getting into fights for the time being. That was fine by her; she didn't see herself partaking in any duels or mock battles for a while. Except for maybe the upcoming practical exam, but even then the stakes were low enough to not warrant any concern.

And speaking of Morgan, she gave her own summary of the events of her afternoon, from meeting up with Laura to their eventual duel that resulted in her passing out for a few hours. All of her classmates were concerned, as she had anticipated, but she assured them that she was fine. When it came to explaining why she went out of her way to challenge Laura in the first place, Morgan decided to leave out what she and Laura had discussed after she came to, since Laura had said that she needed more time to process everything, and instead chalked up her sparring match as a means to overcome her fear of swords. There were some skeptics, with people like Rean and Fie having exceptionally skeptical expressions, but they didn't prod further.

Now it was dusk, and Morgan was sitting in her room, watching the time tick by on her alarm clock. She had already written down a summary of the events that had transpired today, even if she wasn't awake for a good chunk of it, and was now waiting for the appointed time. Instructor Beatrix had recommended that she turn in early for the night, but there was one last thing that she had to do.

Unbeknownst to the rest of Class VII, there had been one other motive for her wanting to stick by Laura today.

The time was now 9:00 PM. Morgan took the journal that she used to write in and tiptoed her way out of her room and all the way to the first floor. All of her classmates had already retired to their rooms for the night, and there were only two other people who she knew would be up at this hour.

As Morgan descended the stairs, she caught a glimpse of light that was coming from the door directly next to the staircase on the first floor. What had once been an unused room that primarily existed for extra storage space had been, over the course of the past day and a half, turned into Sharon's living quarters. No one knew exactly how the maid managed to turn such a dusty, barren room into a manageable living space except maybe Alisa, but as she had proved several times already, Sharon was frighteningly good at her job.

Though she was tempted to see how Sharon was fitting into her new living space, she was not the person Morgan wanted to see this evening, and so she moved to the second door past the staircase. Seeing that there was a light emanating from the bottom of the door, Morgan knocked on the door three times.

"Instructor? You in there?" she called out.

"Give me ooone sec!"

It actually took more than a few seconds, but the door eventually opened to behold Instructor Sara Valestein in all her drunken glory.

"Guten tag, little Wunderkind!" she said with a giddy smile on her face. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Morgan took a whiff and almost physically reeled back from the smell of alcohol coming from her instructor's breath. "You haven't even been back for a few hours and you're already wasted?"

"S'not my fault!" She pointed to the room next to hers. "It was that maid's idea! 'Get to know each other over a drink,' she said. Well, one drink turned into two, two became four, and she still didn't show any signs of letting up!"

"And so you decided to make it a competition?"

"Bah, a part of me needed an excuse to drink some booze anyway." Her face scrunched up as she started grumbling to herself. "Stupid Toval. He really needs to learn how to treat a lady…"

A bead of uneasy sweat dropped from Morgan's forehead. "Putting aside all that…"

"Yeah, that reminds me…" Sara hunched over to study Morgan. "Why are you down here again?"

"Wha…" Morgan's jaw nearly hit the floor. "You can't be serious...can you?"

Her instructor pressed a finger to her temple as she tried to recall the details. "Oh! Could it be that you're offering to share a drink with your lovely instructor? Egads! I never thought I'd get a chance to find a drinking partner so soon!"

"That's not-!" Morgan wasn't sure whether Sara legitimately forgot or was just messing with her, but she was just about ready to leave when another idea popped into her mind. "You know what? Sure. Why not? A little alcohol may be what I need right now. Got any recommendations?"

Sara put a finger to her chin. "Hmm, for someone of your body shape, I'd recommend something on the lighter-wait, what?" In the midst of her double take, she sobered up immediately. "Did you seriously just agree to that? I was kidding!"

"Well, I'M not kidding." Morgan put her hands to her hips. "I feel like a drink tonight. If you're going to say something like that so casually, you should be prepared to see it through fully."

"You know I could get charged for giving alcohol to a student, right?"

"Says the person whose love for alcohol is literally on display for everyone to see." Morgan pointed her hand at the open crate of champagne bottles in her instructor's room. "Besides, last time I checked, there's nothing in the law that says teachers can't have a drink with a student if that student is at the legal drinking age."

"And you're...what, seventeen?"

"Twenty."

Sara blinked. "Huh?"

"I said I'm twenty," Morgan said matter-of-factly. "Just turned it this past May. You can look it up in the official documents, or I can show you my student handbook. Your pick."

Sara peered outside her room to make sure no one was in the general vicinity and invited Morgan in. Once the door was closed behind them, the violet-haired instructor opened one of the drawers under her desk and pulled out a folder that, Morgan presumed, contained the basic information of each of the Class VII students.

"Daraen, Daraen...ah, there you are." She pulled out a piece of paper with Morgan's photo in the upper left hand corner. "'Morgan Grima Daraen. Date of birth: May 5th, S.1184 (?).' 1204 minus 1184 is...huh. Guess you weren't wrong. What's with the question mark at the end, though?"

"I don't have an official birth certificate," Morgan explained. "But I know that I'm twenty."

"And the academy was just...fine with that?"

"Was Fie carrying a birth certificate when you found her?"

"...Fair enough. Let's talk turkey, shall we?"

…

"...And that's the gist of what happened."

Morgan closed her journal and took a sip from her cup. At Instructor Sara's insistence, she was drinking hard apple cider instead of beer. It was a bit on the sweeter side to offset the bitter taste of the alcohol, but Morgan didn't mind the odd taste; this was coming from someone who enjoyed the taste of bear meat, after all.

"Has anyone told you that you can be pretty crazy sometimes?"

"As crazy as crazy gets, Instructor."

Sara pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "Well, putting aside all THAT…" She took a quick swig of beer from her bottle. "Thanks for compiling all this info. Did they suspect anything?"

"Remember what I told you the day before you left?" Morgan reminded her. "I've been wanting to find a way to help them myself. I didn't mention anything about you at all."

Sara snickered. "And you said you weren't good at telling lies."

"I'm not. I just try not to tell the whole truth."

Another chuckle from the tipsy instructor. "So it's not that they hate each other; it's because their natures as people conflict so much that they can't see each other being partners." Sara heaved a big sigh. "And THIS is why I wanted to be a combat teacher. This whole 'cognition' thing is WAY beyond me…"

Morgan perked up at one of Sara's comments. "You mean Fie has the same problems?"

Sara raised an eyebrow. "You didn't know?"

Morgan shook her head.

"Alright. Let me put it this way…" Sara cleared her throat. "When you're a jaeger, you need to be an expert on picking up subtle things while also making sure you stay as subtle as possible; if you do anything less, you'll be the first on the chopping block. Fie's lived that life for pretty much her entire childhood, so you can imagine how much of a culture shock she went through when she came to Thors. This is the first time she's ever interacted with kids her age outside of a warzone, and some of these kids are like Laura, who live their lives honestly. Is there any wonder that she's almost given up on trying to fit in now that people are talking about her behind her back?"

Morgan's expression fell. "So it's true? People know about Fie's background?"

Her instructor grimaced. "It was going to happen at some point, but I didn't want it to happen like this…" Sara took another swig of beer to refresh herself. "It's why she pushes people's buttons, you know. Acting all insensitive and seeing someone's reactions is her way of getting a feel for what kind of person they are, and...well, if they can't handle her remarks, they probably won't take learning about her background any better."

"I didn't realize…"

"I'd be more surprised if you already did. This isn't something normal people would think about on a daily basis."

"Wait…" Morgan interrupted, pouting slightly. "Does that make me not normal, since I'm thinking about this now?"

"At any rate…" Sara continued, not even listening to Morgan's comment. "Now that I've got a better idea of how to go about doing things, it's about high time that I start the next phase of the plan."

"There's a next phase?"

The instructor took another sip from her bottle. "I may as well tell you now: I'm going to pull a little 'Machias and Jusis' on Laura and Fie for the next field study."

"You know you can just say that you're going to put them in the same group, right?" Morgan remarked, understanding her instructor's intentions clearly.

"Just making sure that your mind's still working, cause the next part also requires your participation. If you're willing and able, of course…"

"Name it."

Sara raised an eyebrow. "You agreed to something before you hear the details? That's a bit unlike you."

"Maybe it's the alcohol." Morgan pushed the thought from her mind. "So? What's the plan, Boss?"

"Boss…" Sara chuckled to herself. "Funny. Never thought I'd hear someone call me that."

"S-Sorry." Morgan scratched the back of her head. "It just kind of...slipped."

"No, it's fine. But back to the matter at hand…" Recomposing herself, Sara pointed her bottle at Morgan. "I want YOU to be in the same group as Fie and Laura. Look after them, help them make up, push them in the right direction, all that good stuff."

Morgan let the question linger in the air as she took a sip of her drink. She should have expected this to be the outcome. And yet, for some reason, she couldn't help but utter a simple question after she swallowed: "Why me?"

"Uh…" Sara started counting the number of fingers on her hand. "You get along with everyone, everyone seems to trust you, you're smart, you're good-looking-"

"No, I mean, why choose me instead of...someone else?" Morgan clarified. "If you want someone to be a peacemaker, wouldn't Rean be a better choice? He's practically our class's unofficial leader, after all."

Sara hummed to herself. "I won't deny that Rean has all of the qualities of a leader. He's charismatic, he's empathetic, and he can back up his words with skill. If not the leader, then he is at the very center of Class VII and the person keeping everyone together. He's sort of like the...glue, as it were."

"Then why…"

"Because right now, you have something that Rean doesn't have," Sara continued. "Or anyone else, for that matter."

"And that would be…"

The instructor pointed with her bottle at Morgan's journal, which was sitting on the coffee table (or rather, it was more like the alcohol table now). "You've seen the perspectives of both Laura and Fie. You took the time to get to know them and figured out what they're struggling against. Knowing that, you have a better shot at playing mediator than anyone in Class VII. And also…"

Sara paused, her expression turning sober. "I've got a feeling that the reason you're so invested in helping them is because you can personally relate to what they're going through."

"..."

Morgan opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She closed her eyes, picturing two people standing before her.

The first was a young woman with blue hair who took up the sword to protect others. The second was a girl on the cusp of adolescence who took up her weapons to survive.

One was motivated by personal duty and honor. The other was motivated by the thought of living to see another day.

One fought for her friends. The other fought for her family.

They were two sides of a singular coin, and that coin was…

"Alright," Morgan finally decided. "I've already come this far, so I'll continue to play along with you for the time being."

"Great!" Instructor Sara got up and carefully hobbled over to her desk. "And since you've already agreed to this, I'll even let you get first dibs in choosing your group as a little bonus!"

"You'd let me do that?" Morgan asked. "Won't that be collusion?"

"Ah, only if you get caught! Like you said, we've already gone this far, so we might as well go all the way." She found a piece of paper and started to write. "We've got you, Laura and Fie on one team. Personally, I'd choose two guys to go with you to balance out the gender equality, but ultimately the choice is yours. Excluding Rean for obvious reasons, which two poor souls do you want to take with you for this daunting mission?"

"You make it sound like this is going to be life-threatening…" Morgan muttered. 'Then again, this is Laura and Fie we're talking about, so she may have a point…'

"Instructor…" she said. "Where is it that we'll be going to this time?"

The violet-haired instructor shook her head. "Mmm, sorry. Can't say much about that right now. The locations for your field studies are supposed to be classified until the day of your practical exam. However, I CAN say is that depending on who you choose you may end up going on one trip or the other by default."

'So my other party members can dictate which trip I go on…'

After a few more moments of thinking, Morgan made up her mind. "Alright. Here's who I want in my party…"

* * *

 **Author's note: And with this, the free day period is officially over! It definitely felt more drawn out than usual, so I'll need to work on pacing, but there was a lot of content I wanted to fit in.**

 **So Morgan can use a sword, as one would expect. For the basis of her fighting style, think of Lucina and Chrom's moveset in _Fire Emblem Warriors_ but faster and with an emphasis on movement similar to Marth's moveset in the same game. This was to reflect Morgan's stat modifiers from my playthrough of _Awakening_ , as Speed was her biggest positive modifier. In essence, she is a "Fragile Speedster" who focuses on using her mobility who also can't afford to get hit.**

 **Now for the big elephant in the room. As you can see, this chapter was mainly focused around bringing several things to light regarding Morgan's character, such as her swordsmanship and reasons for not using swords. This plan for this arc in general is to set the stage for Morgan and the things she went through in the past, so for those of you who felt that Morgan's role thus far was rather underplayed, this should make up for it.** (ง •̀_•́)ง

 **I hope you all enjoyed reading this. If you did, feel free to leave a review saying what you enjoyed so I can keep doing that. If you have any constructive criticisms on what I can do better, you can also leave a review or contact me with a PM. I don't know when the next part will be out, but I hope I can finish it within a month.**

 **Thank you all, and see you next time!** **(≧ω≦)ゞ**


	30. June 23rd - Practical Exam

***Lunch break***

At last, it was time for the midterm results to be announced. The first floor lobby was crowded with students who were checking their scores to see where they placed in the standings compared to everyone else. There were a myriad of expressions, some nervous, some confident, some depressed. The results of all the first years spanned the course of several papers, so Morgan had to constantly shift her position around to find her name. Eventually, when she did find it, she was mildly surprised to find it near the top of the leftmost paper. Next to her name were her year, class number, and the number of points she scored correctly. Altogether, it read:

 _5 Morgan Daraen 1-VII 940 pts._

Above her were Machias and Emma, both of whom astonishingly tied for first with a score of 975 points; Jusis, who settled at a solid third with 952 points; and Patrick Hyarms of Class I, who had barely surpassed Morgan by 1 point with a total of 941. Other members of the top ten included: Beryl from Class III with 939 points, Bridget with 936, Rean with 932, Alisa with 924, and Ferris, also from Class I, with 918.

"Looks like I didn't do as badly as I thought," Morgan said to herself. "Think I lost a few points 'cause of the word 'interdisciplinary'...oh well. There's still plenty of room for improvement, though!"

The other members of Class VII were all huddled together near the center of the crowd, appearing like a red spot in the middle of a green and white sea.

Rean patted Machias's shoulder, commending his feat. "Congrats, Machias. Looks like you made good on your word after all."

Machias opened his mouth to speak, but for once he couldn't quite find the right words. It was almost as if he couldn't believe the results himself.

Gaius, noticing the vice president's stunned reaction, chuckled. "You always put up some impressive numbers."

"I-I suppose…" Machias finally managed to say. "Emma's the real natural, though."

"Oh, not at all." Emma modestly shook her head. "We both just really hit those books this last month."

"I suppose I'll have to settle for third this time…"

Morgan playfully pointed her index finger at Jusis. "Oooh, just you wait, Jusis! Don't get too comfortable; once I get past Patrick, I'm coming for you next!"

He returned her gesture with a coy smile. "I'd like to see you try."

Off to the side, Fie had a small, but noticeable pout on her face. "...I feel a bit left out," she grumbled.

It was to be expected, but she had scored the lowest of all the Class VII students, coming in with a score of 544 points.

Elliot empathetically patted her shoulders. "Do tell…"

Fie gave an unamused look at her classmate. "Come on. You're, like, 30 spots ahead of me."

"Y-Yeah, but...you know."

Elliot's final score was 802 points; though it was anything but a bad score, it still made him the second-lowest scorer in the class. In fact, aside from Gaius, who narrowly missed out on 20th by a few points, Elliot and Fie were the only members of Class VII to rank far outside of the top 20, placing 37th and 73rd, respectively.

Emma gave an encouraging smile. "You still did really well, Fie."

"You must've had all the basics down pretty well to have scored like you did," Alisa added. "If you can build on that in the next exam, I have no doubts you'll be able to score even higher."

Fie shrugged. "I guess…" She then mumbled to herself, "If I feel like it."

"Huh?" Elliot tilted his head. "What did you say?"

"Nothing." Fie then pointed her finger at the board. "By the way, there's something posted up over there."

The rest of Class VII directed their attention to the piece of paper that was posted next to the exam results, which held the average scores for each of the individual classes.

 _ **Average mark**_

1st 1-VII 881 pts.

2nd 1-I 843 pts.

3rd 1-III 770 pts.

4th 1-II 735 pts.

5th 1-IV 675 pts.

6th 1-V 650 pts.

"It seems Class VII had the highest average score," Laura observed.

"Excellent!" Alisa happily clapped her hands together. "I figured that might be the case, considering we have four of the academy's top five high scorers."

Jusis snorted. "You talk as if a class I'm a member of could possibly fail to place first."

"Why do you always have to be so full of yourself…?" Machias, not one to break tradition, couldn't help but retort.

"Boys, boys…" Emma tried to calm the two down, though her lighthearted smile indicated she was merely teasing. Compared to their interactions in the past couple of months, this was a substantial improvement.

"I think we should be proud of what we've accomplished," Gaius concluded.

"Me, too," Rean concurred. "Good work, everyone!"

* * *

"Well, aren't you all the overachievers? Congrats on your amazing performance on the midterms!"

The class had gathered at the field for their monthly practical exam, where they were met with a standing ovation from their homeroom teacher, or as much of a standing ovation one person could make, anyway.

"I'll cherish the grumpy look on the vice principal's face forever," she gloated with a fist pump. "That'll teach him to poke his nose into my business!"

"We didn't do all that work just so you could stick it to him, you know…" Rean retorted.

"And if we're being honest?" Morgan added. "You bring most of it on yourself."

The rest of the class murmured in agreement.

If Instructor Sara was offended, she was doing a pretty good job at hiding her feelings. "Aaaaaanyway, before we begin this month's practical exam, I just want to make sure…" She turned to Morgan. "You sure you're ready to participate, Morgan?"

"Positive." Morgan's hand clenched tightly around her axe. "It'll take more than a fainting spell to keep me down!"

"I like that confidence!"

With that, Sara snapped her fingers. A moment later, the scarecrow automation that Class VII had routinely fought against appeared next to her, now sporting a fresh new coat of copper paint.

"Mm…" Morgan squinted her eyes at the scarecrow. Now that she had a closer look at it, the shape definitely looked familiar to something Group A saw in Bareahard…

"You notice it too, don't you?" Rean whispered to her.

Morgan looked at him and nodded. "Yeah. Granted, the color palette and machine parts are different, but the body shape is definitely similar."

"It looks like it's made of the same material, too," Fie observed from behind them.

"Hmm?" Laura, who was standing beside Rean, caught wind of their conversation. "Is something wrong?"

"Long story," Rean quietly replied. "I'll tell you about it later."

Fie simply looked away upon hearing Laura's voice. A few seconds later, however, her face scrunched up.

Morgan noticed the change in her friend's expression. "What's up?"

"We've got company."

She looked in the direction Fie was facing and understood what she meant.

"Well, doesn't this look like fun?" a haughty voice called out.

The rest of Class VII, Instructor Sara included, looked to the stairs that connected the academy field to the main campus. Standing at the top of the stairs were six students clothed in the white Thors uniform for Class I, four male and two female. Leading the group with his upturned nose and dark blonde hair was Patrick Hyarms, son of Marquis Hyarms of the Four Great Houses.

Oh, and each of the male students was carrying a training rapier by their side.

'This won't end well…' Morgan dreaded in her mind.

…

"To what do we owe the pleasure of this visit?" Instructor Sara asked the students once they made their way to where Class VII was gathered. "Class I's combat training isn't until tomorrow."

"Yes, about that…" Patrick stepped forward in front of his classmates. "Instructor Thomas's class was changed to a self-study period today, so we thought it was the perfect opportunity for a little...cross-class exchange, if you will."

"And how will you achieve that, exactly?" Jusis, the only other person present who shared the same status as Patrick, wondered aloud.

Smirking, Patrick raised his right hand, revealing that he was wearing a white fencing glove. With his other hand, he removed the glove in one swift motion and threw it at the ground near Rean's feet. Those who were well-versed in Erebonian culture immediately recognized the gesture: it was a challenge to a duel.

"Class VII seems to be the talk of the school lately," Patrick snidely remarked, "and we'd simply LOVE the chance to get a little better acquainted. So instead of playing with that contraption over there…" He put his left hand on the hilt of his rapier. "Why not try your steel against some real, human opponents? As the representatives of Class I, we'd be more than happy to demonstrate the refined spirit and dignity of the Erebonian nobility."

The words of challenge sent a stir through Class VII.

"You little pieces of…" "This is their idea of getting acquainted?" "Cool your jets. They're just trying to goad us into a fight…"

The commotion was brought to a halt when one of their members approached the glove on the ground and picked it up.

"Rean?" said Alisa.

"It doesn't look like they're going to take 'no' for an answer," Rean replied, his eyes looking resigned yet still determined. "We might as well accept their offer while they're willing and able."

His answer elicited a chuckle from Patrick and his male lackeys. "I'm glad to see that you are a man of reason, Schwarzer."

Alisa, not believing what she was hearing, turned to their instructor. "Instructor, you can't seriously be okay with-!"

"Well, looks like I've found today's entertainment!" The violet-haired instructor nonchalantly snapped her fingers, causing the copper scarecrow to disappear from sight. "Change of plans! Today's practical exam will instead be a friendly training bout between Classes I and VII!"

"We're really going through with this…?" Elliot questioned hesitantly.

"The fight will be four-on-four, with both arts and item use allowed." Instructor Sara directed her gaze at Rean. "Rean, you were the one who picked up the glove, so you'll be the squad captain for our class. Choose three of your classmates for your team."

Clenching his soon-to-be opponent's glove in his hand, Rean returned to his classmates. "Sorry to drag you all into this, but this is something I can't back down from."

"It was a rather bold statement to readily accept his challenge," Jusis noted. "However, given the current circumstances, this could very well be an opportune chance to teach them a lesson in hubris."

"Anyone else think they're down here because they're feeling salty about class averages?" Fie lowered her voice to make sure the Class I students couldn't hear her.

"I'd say the probability is pretty high…" Machias adjusted his glasses by the bridge. "Among a list of other things we unknowingly did to tick them off. If you're going to knock them down a peg, you can count me in."

The rest of the class gave their consent. Breathing in a sigh of relief, Rean turned around to face their opponents. "I choose Laura, Morgan, and Gaius for my team."

"Now, hold on!"

Rean blinked at Patrick's sudden comment. "What is it?"

"Our team consists of four men. I demand a fight equal to the challenge offered. Reconsider your team."

"Hmm…"

Laura appeared to be displeased with Patrick's train of thought, a feeling that Morgan shared. "What, the challenger suddenly gets to make conditions on the fly? Who do you think you are?"

"Hey, you two…" Rean put his hands on both of them. "I know you're upset, but we shouldn't make a scene, especially not in front of them. Sorry, but we don't have a choice; I'll need to switch you out."

"Why are you being so passive all of a sudden?" Morgan questioned. "This isn't like you, Rean."

He grimaced. "You're right. It isn't. But this is the son of Marquis Hyarms, leader of the Four Great Houses. Remember all the things we went through in Bareahard? If Patrick wanted, he could ask his father to bring about all of that and then some. Do you have any idea about the lengths a noble will go to tarnish the reputation of someone they dislike? I can't risk that for you and your families." Rean put a hand on his chest. "As the adopted son of my father, I don't want to bring him more trouble than he already has."

A brief silence persisted until it was swiftly broken by Patrick's haughty voice. "Is there internal strife amongst you, Schwarzer?" It was clear that his patience was growing thinner, which was ironic considering he was the one making Class VII delay the match.

"I cannot speak on behalf of my father," said Laura, "but I care very little about matters that pertain to one's status, as I have made clear before in the past. However, seeing as you have been appointed our team leader, I will respect your wishes. Just promise me that you won't hold back." She reached out and gripped his hand assuringly as she said that last point.

Rean eased his expression into a calm smile. "Wasn't planning on doing it anyways."

"Honestly, there's a lot here I'm not okay with," Morgan confessed. "But when you put it that way, I guess the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." Reining her emotions in, she cupped her mouth next to Rean's ear. "I've heard that Patrick's footwork and approach are his weak points, so watch out for those."

"Will do. Thanks." Rean nodded to her before turning to face Class I. "Sorry for the wait. If that's the case, then I choose Gaius, Machias, and Jusis."

"Hmm…"

Rean's eyebrow twitched. "What now?"

Patrick pointed his rapier at Jusis. "He should have been among the ranks of Class I to begin with. I would rather hope a son of the Albarea house would need no demonstration of the nobility's refined spirit and dignity. Choose again!"

"Not again…" Machias grumbled.

Jusis silently snorted. "Hmph. One would almost think you're trying to postpone the inevitable. I must agree with Daraen; you're testing our generosity when it comes to your criteria."

"Makes you wonder who they won't conjure up some excuse for…" Fie quipped in Morgan's ear, which caused her to puff out her cheeks in contained amusement.

"Then I choose Gaius, Machias, and Elliot." Rean turned to his classmate. "No offense, Elliot."

"I-It's fine." Elliot nervously pulled at his jacket collar. "I was hoping I wouldn't have to be a part of this…"

There were no words of discontent coming from Patrick's mouth, which likely indicated that he had no issue with the current lineup.

As both teams of four got into position for their duel, Jusis walked up to his class's team and whispered, "Make sure you don't underestimate them. He may be a fool, but even a fool can be dangerous with a blade in hand. I'm sure his lackeys are also well-trained, whatever deficiencies they may have otherwise."

"Patrick's a member of the Fencing Club, isn't he?" Elliot asked. "If that's the case, then we really need to be careful."

"Fencing Club or no Fencing Club…" Machias's eyes were burning with determination. "We'll see how cocksure he feels when we're through with him!"

"It's not every day we get to have a cross-class exchange," Gaius remarked. "Let's have a good fight, everyone."

Despite the situation, Rean couldn't help but crack a smile. "You know, I always feel reassured by your optimism, Gaius."

Gaius returned the smile with one of his own. "Well, I AM here because of a cultural exchange. I see little reason to question something we all can learn from."

"By the way, Instructor?" Emma raised her hand. "What about the rest of us? Should we just stand by and watch today?"

Their instructor nodded. "Seems like it. With our current lineup, I'd say we only have enough time for one match. Unless the rest of you really want to have a go at our little friend?" She raised her right hand expectantly, poised to snap.

"No, no! We're fine!"

The rest of the students preemptively took a few steps back.

"Good." Instructor Sara lowered her hand, sounding rather relieved. "Two matches going on at the same time is a lot for little ol' me to take into account."

She motioned for the students to ready their weapons. Rean gave Patrick his fencing glove back before both boys drew their respective swords.

"Begin!"

* * *

"And that's enough!" Instructor Sara called out. One group was brought to their knees. The other was only barely managing to stay standing. "The winning team is...Class VII!"

The result was met with much cheering and applause from the Class VII audience.

"W-We won…" Elliot almost couldn't believe himself. "We really won…"

"Indeed." Gaius looked no worse for wear, but his heavy breathing indicated that he was quite winded. "That was some fight!"

"Ahaha…" Machias, despite being a few breaths away from collapsing, still found it in himself to croak a laugh. "How does it taste...choking down your own...hubris?"

The four Class I students, meanwhile, were shaking their heads and muttering words of discontent.

Rean sheathed his tachi and stared at the defeated Patrick in front of him. When the battle started, Patrick had immediately focused on isolating Rean from the others without a care for his other teammates. This lack of teamwork and focus on individual skill on Class I's end was what ultimately gave Class VII the winning edge in the match, but even Rean had to admit that Patrick, for all of his pompous behavior, was very skilled with a sword. In fact, he would go as far to say that his prowess rivaled that of Jusis, if not surpassed it. Had Morgan not warned him about watching Patrick's footwork, the fight between them could have been more one-sided.

"Hey…" Rean tried his best to smile out of courtesy. "That was a good fight. Pretty intense, too. You had us on the defensive more than a few times. If we get another chance sometime, how about we-"

Before Rean's hand could get within handshaking range, a disgruntled Patrick swatted it away. "Get your filthy hands off me!"

Rean stepped back, stunned, as Patrick angrily rose from the ground to look him in the eyes. "Don't you dare start acting like you're above me, Rean Schwarzer. Just because Ymir's lord took you in out of pity doesn't change the fact that you're a nobody without a drop of noble blood!"

"..." Rean simply stood there. He wanted to talk back, but it was difficult to do so considering how everything Patrick just said was true.

His classmates, however, were far more transparent with their responses. Gaius had to hold Machias back from potentially socking his friend's offender in the face. Elliot worked up the courage to say, "That was uncalled for!"

"The rest of you are no better!" Patrick started pointing to the rest of Class VII, all of whom had varying degrees of anger and annoyance on their faces. "Did you somehow think scoring highest on the exams would mask the fact that you crawled up from the dregs of society? What about a family of upstart arms peddlers who think being flush with money is all the pedigree they need?! And what of the barbarian and your jaeger-tot? I'm surprised they could even read the enrollment forms!"

Emma shook her head. "What terrible things to say…"

"I won't deny how the Reinford Company made its millions," Alisa admitted. "But still…"

"Am I the 'jaeger-tot'?" Fie asked, even though she already knew the answer.

Feeling the hostile gazes from the entirety of Class VII, Patrick's lackeys started visibly panicking. "I think you might've crossed the line…" one of them commented.

"Silence!" Patrick said impudently. "You don't tell me what I can or can't say!"

"...You're a coward."

The noble's eyes darted in the direction of the voice. "What?"

Morgan squinted her eyes and grit her teeth. "You're nothing but a coward! First you barge in uninvited, then you make us play by your rules, and then when you lose, you have the nerve to talk down to all of us! You bring nothing but shame to your noble blood." She forcefully motioned her hand to her side. "Express your frustrations if you must, but what do you think gives you the right to say the kinds of things that you did?"

"Morgan…"

This was the first time Rean, and probably the rest of Class VII, had ever seen Morgan this enraged. She could be annoyed at times, like when she stood up to the provincial army in Celdic, but never anything to this degree. If Rean didn't know better, he could have sworn he saw a red aura flickering around her, almost as if her anger was literally seething from her body. At the same time, though, he felt strangely touched that of all the times she let her rage show, it was when her classmates were being threatened.

"Morgan raises an excellent question!"

The confrontation was cut to a halt by the sound of Instructor Sara's voice. "Anyway, this marks the end of our mock battle. Many thanks to the members of Class I for their gracious cooperation. Oh, and just for future reference, 'self-study' doesn't mean 'wander around outside doing whatever you want.'" She rotated herself so she was facing the two female students from Class I who had accompanied Patrick and his lackeys onto the field. "That goes for you two over there, too. Back to the classroom with all of you!"

The two students hurriedly nodded their heads and scampered back to the main campus.

"Oh, but before you boys leave…" Instructor Sara said as the male students were about to follow their companions. "I want to let you know that for your combat training tomorrow, I've decided that I'll be pointing out everything you did wrong today. In the meantime, I want you to really think about where you need to improve, both physically and behaviourally." Though Instructor Sara's face remained amicable, the tone of her voice made it clear that she was not at all happy with the way her students were bad-mouthed.

Patrick bit his lip and turned his back to everyone. "Very well. Excuse us."

With that, he and the other Class I students made their swift exit.

Elliot heaved a sigh of relief. "Whew...for a while there, I was worried that was really going to get ugly."

"As far as I'm concerned, it already had," Machias refuted, showing his hand to the retreating students in white. "THIS is exactly why I can't stand nobles."

Jusis let out a groan of mutual disgust. "Please. Don't place me in the same category as that imbecile."

Morgan nodded in agreement. "He's an ass. A cowardly, pompous ass. I can't even say that nicely."

"Calm down, Morgan." Emma put a hand on her classmate's shoulder. "Breathe."

"I'm calm, I'm calm." Sure enough, after a few deep breaths, Morgan eased her expression...until it was quickly overwritten by a wince. "Hey, uh, Emma? You're gripping my shoulder pretty tightly there."

"O-Oh! Yes! My apologies!" Almost as if she had just come out of a daze, Emma clumsily retreated her hand.

"Hey, Morgan?" Rean called out to her. "Thanks...for standing up like that. It meant a lot to me."

"I just said what was on my mind," Morgan insisted. "Maybe I got a bit out of hand, but I couldn't just stand by and say nothing." She then mumbled to herself, "Besides, he was being a bad rap for me, too, after all."

"A bad rap?"

She shook her head. "Never mind. It's nothing."

"Okay…?"

Instructor Sara cleared her throat, bringing back everyone's attention. "Right. On that note, that concludes this month's practical exam. Seeing as not everyone was able to participate today, let's just give you all A's for 'outstanding support for each other' and be done with it. Sound good?"

Class VII collectively nodded their heads. It seemed that they were all eager to forget the incident that had just occurred.

"Good. Now each of you, take one of these."

The students arranged themselves in a single file line and retrieved their monthly announcement on where they would be going.

 **[Field Study: June]**

 **Group A: Rean, Alisa, Emma, Jusis, Gaius**

 **(Study Location: Nord Highlands)**

 **Group B: Morgan, Machias, Elliot, Laura, Fie**

 **(Study Location: Bryonia Island)**

"Bryonia Island…" Machias muttered to himself. "That's in the far west of the Empire, isn't it?"

"It's right off the coast of Ordis," Morgan replied, recalling her small glimpse of the island during her trip a few days prior. "It's known for its ruins."

"Have you been there, by any chance?" Elliot asked her.

She shook her head. "No. I just picked up a tourist pamphlet."

"The Nord Highlands are beyond the Empire's northeastern borders, are they not?" said Emma, redirecting the conversation to Group A's destination.

"That's right. They're out past Roer, on the other side of the border." Alisa smiled knowingly at Gaius. "Isn't that right, Gaius?"

"Oh, yeah…" Rean recalled. "You're from the Nord Highlands, aren't you, Gaius?"

All of the students shifted their gaze towards the tallest member of their group, who was smiling to himself. "Sure am. We've actually made arrangements for everyone in Group A to stay at my home in our settlement."

"So that's why you had to visit the principal last week…" Elliot remembered.

…

As the other students continued to mingle amongst themselves about their field study locations, Morgan looked up from her paper at their instructor. Their eyes met, and Sara subtly nodded her head.

There was no going back now.

* * *

 ***The night before***

"...You sure about that?" Sara asked, picking up two students' files. "I can't guarantee that you'll be able to get a chance to choose again, so I want to hear your reasoning."

"I'm certain of it," Morgan replied. "One of them can get along with anyone and can function as a good intermediary. As for the other, I think it would be good to have someone who was just involved in a recent conflict to be there as an example, and given his work ethic, I know he'll work his butt off to prove himself. This also gives us a balanced team in combat; including me, we have two physical fighters, a long range fighter, a close-range/long-range hybrid, and a support member. In the off chance that we can't get Laura and Fie to link up, we can at least compensate by covering each other's weaknesses until they learn how to."

Her instructor nodded, looking impressed. "I'm surprised you put that much thought into it. Hearing that almost makes me feel confident that this plan might work out."

"If you're _almost_ confident, then clearly my choices aren't good enough." She took another swig of hard cider. "Grr, fine! Let me see if I can think of a better one."

"No, no! There's nothing wrong here! This team's fine." Sara started writing the names down on a sheet of paper. "I'll list the five of you as this group...and the other five in this group. Great! Now I can send in the roster without the vice principal getting all over my case!"

"And you were holding off on deciding...why, exactly?"

Sara shoved the paper aside, completely ignoring her question. "Anyways, I can't thank you enough for this. Want some more cider?"

Morgan held her forehead. "I think I've had enough for one night. Likewise, thanks for your time tonight, Instructor. I promise I won't let you down."

Her instructor squinted her violet-colored eyes. "Dunno if it's jus' me, but you're lookin' a bit woozy. You sure you don't wanna spend the night here?" She pointed to her bed. "You can take the bed."

"I think it's just you." Morgan stood up from the couch, only to find that her body was feeling a bit sluggish. Taking a nap right then and there didn't seem like such a bad idea…

She shook her head. "I'm alright, Instructor. I think I can walk myself up."

Sara took Morgan's cup. "Try not to feel down in the morning, you hear? Just because you feel alright now doesn't mean that you'll feel the same when you wake up tomorrow."

"I know. Drink water and eat bread, right?"

"You're pretty knowledgeable." Sara managed to raise an eyebrow despite her speech starting to slur. "Have you been underage drinking this whole time?"

"Only in emergencies." Morgan turned away from her instructor towards the door. "Sometimes you need something to drink on the road, right? Well, what if the water is too contaminated and you want to save your medicine for when it really counts? You drink wine instead. I mean, who cares about age restrictions when you need sustenance, right?"

Morgan didn't hear an answer, so she shrugged and went out the door.

Overall, she thought that tonight was very productive.

* * *

"Hey, Morgan?"

Rean's voice snapped her out of her reverie. "Yeah?" she responded.

"About your groups…" Rean worriedly looked at Laura, then at Fie. "I know I'll probably have my hands full on my end, but if you ever need to talk to me during the field study, just...let me know if there's anything I can do to help."

Morgan grinned. "Thanks for the offer, but don't worry about me. I have a solution in mind."

"You do?" Rean's eyes widened. "I'm surprised. What were you thinking?"

She hummed to herself, her grin growing wider. "Well, for starters, I'd round up both of them and make sure they have no way to escape. Then, I'd lock them in a room together…"

* * *

 **Author's note: And now for a twist in the narrative! Instead of following the story to the Nord Highlands, we're going to Bryonia Island instead! Bet you didn't see that one coming, did you?**

 **Seeing as there are very little details about what Group B does at Bryonia Island in the games, the majority of content in the next few chapters will be original content, though there will still be some notable exceptions. What's more, this situation presents** **a greater opportunity to shape the narrative in any way I see fit. How might I change things up? You'll just have to wait until next time to find out!**

 **Thank you all for reading, and stay healthy out there!** **v(｡･ω･｡)**


	31. June 26th - Field Study Day 1

_Morgan found herself in Ordis once again. The sun was shining overhead with nary a cloud in the sky. The sea was still and pristine. Morgan could make out the shape of Bryonia Island in the distance._

" _So you're interested in seeing Bryonia Island?"_

 _She quickly turned behind her to find Baron Bleublanc. Even in her dreams, the baron wore his glamorous white outfit._

" _If you wish to see more of the city, I would recommend that you visit North Street next. But if you want to visit the island…" Baron Bleublanc pointed to a small booth by the docks. "You can rent a small boat at that station over there. Though I have a feeling you'll be visiting it before long regardless…"_

" _And how do you know that?"_

 _He chuckled eerily. "My, that look in your eye can be considered beautiful in its own right. So this is the gaze of an alien…"_

 _Without warning, Bleublanc rushed at her. Morgan closed her eyes and braced herself for impact, but none came. Steadily reopening her eyes, she found that her surroundings had changed. The sky was now dark and cloudy with a tinge of red. The shape of Bryonia island on the sea had been warped into an unrecognizable blob._

 _Most different of all, however, was that in the place where the baron once stood, there were now_

 _two individuals standing in front of her: one girl with long blue hair, another girl with short silver hair._

" _A person who chases two hares won't catch either," a low voice that didn't belong to the baron warned her. "If you give in to your greed, you will fail."_

" _What?" Just as Morgan was contemplating who the voice belonged to, the two girls turned their backs on her and started walking away._

 _Morgan tried running after them, but her legs were sluggish. She futilely reached out her hands to try and make it to them, but no matter how hard she tried, the girls kept getting farther and farther away._

 _The low voice chuckled. "How do you plan to challenge your fate now?"_

* * *

"...Morgan?"

Morgan blinked her eyes and groggily woke from her slumber. She was sitting upright with her head slightly cocked to her right.

'Ah, that's right,' she remembered. She was on the train to Ordis with her classmates. "Are we there already?"

"Not yet," replied Machias. "We're making a brief stop in Raquel first. Ordis is still a few hours away."

"Oh." Morgan yawned. "Then why'd you wake me up?"

"It's been a while since the last time we ate anything, so we were thinking of buying something at the station," Elliot explained. "We're actually a bit ahead of schedule, too, so the conductor offered to hold the train for us."

"Is that right?" Morgan looked to the basket sitting beside her in the booth. Sharon had been kind enough to pack them breakfast when they left that morning. All the food that was in the basket was now resting in their stomachs.

Morgan poked the sleeping face that was resting on her lap. "Hey. Morning, sleepyhead."

Fie stirred and opened an eye to look at her surroundings. "Morning?" she grumbled. "It should be past noon."

"I said 'good morning' because if I said 'good night', you'd just keep on sleeping," Morgan reasoned.

"It's not even nighttime either."

"We're stopping at Raquel to get some food. Want to come with?"

Morgan wasn't sure why, but Fie's eyes bolted open when she said the word 'Raquel'. Either way, Fie was wide awake now.

The train pulled into the station and gradually slowed to a halt. The conductor announced over the speakers that there will be a 15-minute layover to accommodate the train being ahead of schedule. Taking that as their cue to leave, Morgan and the other members of Group B quickly exited the train car. Fortunately for them, there was a shop selling pre-packed lunches just outside the ticket gate.

"Hmm, decisions, decisions…" Morgan muttered to herself as she scanned the menu. "Do I want a sandwich with meat or without meat? Or maybe I should try something else? That tuna melt does look good...but wait, Bryonia Island's on the ocean, so we're probably going to eat seafood later…"

Morgan decided that she needed a second opinion. "Fie, what do you think?"

For once, the girl in question wasn't paying attention to what was in front of her. Instead, her face was turned towards a window right next to the shop that allowed them a view of the city. Raquel was located at the heart of the Lamarre Province, acting as a central hub that connected a host highways and railway lines, ranging from Ordis in the west to North Ambria and Jurai in the north. Such a prime location naturally led to the creation of an entertainment district filled with theatres, casinos, and other high class clubs to attract travelers. Even the small snapshot of the city that the window provided was enough to show that Raquel was deserving of its nickname "The Entertainment City".

Fie, however, didn't seem to be enamored at the sight of the bustling streets of Raquel. Rather, the look she had could best be described as wistful, as if she were reminiscing of experiences that had long since past.

"Fie."

The silver-haired girl faced her at last. "What?"

"What do you want for lunch?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "Whatever's cheapest."

"One kid's meal it is."

"Not a chance."

Giving a small smirk, Fie grabbed a tuna sandwich and a bag of fish crackers and got in line. Morgan decided to get a meat-and-tomato sandwich.

"Have you been here before?" she asked Fie.

"A few times," she responded softly. "We would always stop by here to get supplies from the pawn shop. The boss, Xeno, and Leonidas liked to hit up the casino whenever we visited."

Morgan assumed Xeno and Leonidas were the names of people she knew from Zephyr. "Did you ever tag along?"

"I wish." Fie snorted. "They didn't allow minors on the casino floor, so I just did whatever in the meantime."

"What else is there to do in Raquel?"

Fie opened her mouth to respond, but she closed it just as quickly and turned around.

Morgan looked behind her to find that their classmates had joined them in line. Laura in particular had been staring at Fie for what was likely the entire conversation.

"Next customer in line?"

Fie walked up to the cashier to pay for her lunch.

"If you wanted to join our conversation, you should've said something," Morgan said.

Laura shook her head. "I don't think I would have contributed much anyways."

* * *

"So now that we're getting closer to Bryonia Island…" Elliot spoke up. "Maybe we can talk about what we know about it?"

"All I know about it is that it holds some sort of ancient ruins," Machias admitted. "I'm not certain what to expect."

"Ah! That reminds me…" Morgan set aside her sandwich momentarily and bent over to reach for her lute case. Placing the lute case on her lap, she opened it and retrieved a small flyer with pictures on it.

"Bryonia Island…" she read, showing the flyer to her classmates. "Located 150 selge off the shore of Ordis, this island was once home to the ancient Bryonians until the Middle Ages. Today, the ruins of ancient times stand as a testament to the practice of animism and continue to be a popular spot for tourists and worshippers alike. From a large stone colossus embedded into the side of the mountain to picturesque beaches untainted by human hands, there are no shortages of places to see on the island. See more information about maritime travel to and from the island on the back of the brochure."

"Both man-made and natural structures alike…" Laura muttered. "Now that I think about it, this shall be my first time seeing the ocean."

"Really?" Elliot asked. "This'll be my first time, too!"

"I guess that makes three of us," Machias added. "Morgan...right, you were just there. What about you, Fie?"

"I've seen it."

Laura decided that this was an opportune moment to begin conversing with the younger girl. "Really? When?"

"During a landing operation in the corps."

And just like that, Laura's desire to make small talk was nipped in the bud.

"H-Hey, Morgan?" Elliot piped up, trying to take the conversation elsewhere. "I've been meaning to ask you this for a while: do you play the lute?"

Morgan shook her head as she closed her lute case. "Not really. I can play, like, one song on the piano, but the lute's beyond me. Actually, I only brought the case with me to Thors; I left the lute itself back home."

"Then why bring a lute case if you aren't going to carry a lute?"

"It was the right fit for my weapon," she reasoned. "How else was I going to lug an axe around without people looking at me funny?"

"I guess that makes sense…" Elliot scratched his cheek. "I just didn't think that they could be used that way."

"This sort of thing happens more than you think."

Everyone turned to Fie.

"Musical instrument cases come in all shapes and sizes, so it's easy to stash hidden weapons in them," the former jaeger explained. "They're useful for smuggling and espionage work."

A beat of dry silence passed without anyone saying anything.

"Is it going to be this awkward the whole time?" Machias asked.

Fie shrugged nonchalantly. "Probably."

A second later, a paper fan hit Fie in the back of the head. "Ow!" she squealed surprisedly.

"Now, now, Fie…" Morgan scolded the younger girl. Much to the surprise of the rest of the group, she had folded the brochure into the shape of a paper fan without them knowing. "Remember our agreement for this weekend?"

Fie sighed dejectedly. "Yeah, yeah…"

"Would you like to share it with the rest of the group?"

"..."

"I'll say it if you don't."

"...Fine." For the first time that day, Fie locked eyes with Laura. "By the end of the field study, I'm going to form an ARCUS link with Laura."

"Aaaaand?"

"I'm not going to bring everyone down like Machias and Jusis."

"Huh?! Wait a-"

Morgan quickly silenced Machias's complaint with a raise of her hand. "Becaaauuuse?"

"Because if we don't learn how to understand each other now, it's going to bring down our group's grade for the field study," Fie finished quickly. "There. You happy?"

Morgan nodded before pointing her fan at Laura. "Aaaaand what does Laura have to say about this?"

"I will work to fulfill these objectives to the best of my ability," the swordswoman responded immediately and efficiently. "Though our differences are numerous, I am willing to cast those aside for the sake of the group."

"Well, there you have it." Morgan outstretched her arms. "Anyone who has an issue with these agreements, speak now or forever hold your peace."

The two men of the group took a moment to comprehend what had just occurred.

Machias sulked into his seat. "Well, I would've appreciated it if you didn't use me as an example…"

"You're really taking the lead here, aren't you?" Elliot said with a nervous chuckle.

"Someone's got to do it while Rean's not here," Morgan remarked. "Besides, I wouldn't want our private discussion from a few days ago to have been for nothing."

"A few days ago?" Machias's eyes widened. "Wait, you mean the reason you three showed up late to dinner on Thursday was because…?"

"Mhmm."

"You...actually locked them up in a room together?" Elliot queried.

"Uh-huh."

"And how did you get them to listen to you…"

Fie and Laura looked away from each other and especially away from Morgan.

Morgan, meanwhile, playfully winked and put her index finger to her lips. "Haha. Just a little secret between women."

* * *

A few hours and many rounds of playing Blade later, the train arrived at the end of the line.

"We are now arriving at...Ordis," a voice announced over the intercom. "When disembarking, please ensure no belongings are left behind."

"Guess that's the end of that," Elliot remarked.

"Looks that way." Morgan sighed as she put down her cards. Just a little bit longer and she could have put down a winning hand.

After they had finished packing up all their cards, the train slowed to a halt. Gathering their belongings, Group B followed the crowd out of the train car and onto the station platform.

"Now then…" Morgan looked behind her to make sure everyone in their group was accounted for. "What do we do?"

"Ah, excuse me! You're the students from Thors, yes?"

The students looked at the other side of the platform to find a man wearing a blue polo shirt and khakis holding a sign above his head that read "Thors Military Academy". He looked to be in his mid-30s, his hair was in a crew cut, and a pair of sunglasses hung from the collar of his shirt. Group B walked over to the man to greet him.

"Yes, yes, you all seem to fit the description," the man commented, nodding his head. "It's a pleasure to meet all of you. My name is Tom, and I'm the senior manager of operations at Bryonia Island. The academy has asked me to take care of your lodgings for this week."

"It's nice to meet you, too." Morgan and her classmates returned the gesture and each took turns to briefly introduce themselves.

"Right. Now that we've established that, please come right this way." Tom made a beckoning gesture. "We'll need to head to the docks before we can reach the island, so I hope you're ready to take quite the walk! But then again, I'm sure you all are feeling rather cramped after that long train ride, so this should be a convenient way to relieve those muscles, hm?"

Morgan smirked. "Oooh, two birds with one stone! I like it!"

Tom and Morgan shared a laugh as they led the way out of the station.

"Those two are certainly hitting it off…" Elliot remarked.

"I'll say," Machias agreed.

Fie and Laura looked at each other, as if they were each daring the other to make a comment. When neither of them did, they broke off eye contact and picked up the pace to catch up with the group.

Ordis looked considerably less festive since the last time Morgan was here, but it was still bustling with people in the early evening. Because she had already been in Ordis before, Morgan wasn't as invested in looking at the sights as her fellow classmates, but even she couldn't help but hold her breath as the ocean came into view with the sun setting over it. Such a sight may have been normal to the people of Ordis, but to the students, it left an impactful impression.

Eventually, the group reached the docks, where an agent wearing a uniform was watching over a small boat. Upon seeing them approaching, the agent waved at them. He and Tom briefly exchanged pleasantries before the agent motioned for the group to enter the boat. After Tom and the students were neatly nestled into the back, the agent stepped into the front seat and started the engine, causing the boat to propel itself forward across the ocean.

"As we're approaching the island, I suppose I should pose this question for all of you…" Tom spoke once the boat was moving at a steady pace. "Have any of you visited Bryonia Island before?"

None of the students raised their hands.

"None?" Tom scratched the back of his head. "Hm, I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised. In that case, what is the extent of your current knowledge about the island?"

"Only that it's known for its ruins," Morgan answered. "It's also supposed to be connected to animism."

"You are correct on both accounts. I assume you all are familiar with the practice of animism, yes?"

Group B collectively nodded their heads, which prompted Tom to explain further. "Animism, as you know, is the oldest form of religion native to Erebonia. In times when the Septian Church had not yet set foot into Erebonia, the people had only the natural world to lead them. They knew the power that Mother Nature held and chose to revere it just as followers of the church worship the goddess Aidios. These days, however, many have noted that despite the two being largely disconnected with each other, they share some similarities in regards to their openness of others' beliefs. This is why many animist traditions, such as the holding of the Summer Festival, continue to this day even in regions that predominantly follow the church.

"In any case, Bryonia Island stands as a testament to the oldest forms of animism. While it serves as a tourist attraction, its main purpose is to serve as the converging point for those who continue to practice animism to this day. Every year around the summer festival season, worshippers from across the empire come to visit the island, which is precisely where you all come in."

"Us, sir?" Machias inquired.

Tom nodded. "In precisely two days from now, on Sunday, the staff will be hosting a traditional animist ritual. Most people show up on the day of, but we also have a number of people who stay at the inn for this event. It is our obligation to ensure that everyone has the best possible experience when they come to visit the island, regardless of what reason they have, and our team does our best to accommodate all of the visitors' needs. Occasionally, however, some visitors will place requests that fall outside of our area of expertise, such as asking to procure a lost item from somewhere in the island or notifying us of a hostile creature that needs addressing. In such cases, we would like your assistance in dealing with these issues during this time. Does that make sense?"

Laura raised her hand. "Correct me if I am mistaken, sir, but if such troubles such as monsters were to arise, wouldn't you be able to contact the provincial army for assistance? Juno Naval Fortress is reachable via boat if I recall."

"Ah, yes." Tom's expression fell. "Unfortunately, the situation in the Lamarre Province hasn't been all that well as of late. I'm sure you're all aware of the happenings that occurred regarding the Albarea family in the Kreuzen Province last month, yes?"

Class VII grimly nodded their heads, with Morgan, Fie, and Machias in particular wearing especially troubled expressions.

"Ever since then, the reigning lord of the Lamarre Province, Duke Cayenne, has been on edge. He recalled a majority of his forces to the mainland, including ones who used to be stationed nearby in case we needed to reach out to them. The city may look well and all that thanks to the summer festival, but the truth is that we are in a constant state of unrest. The duke himself has supposedly been going in and out of town frequently for 'official business', but aside from that, we know very little of what goes on behind the scenes. Thus, we can't rely on them."

"That's horrible…"

Morgan silently agreed with Elliot's sentiment. This wasn't the first time she had witnessed the consequences of the provincial army neglecting the people whose peace they were meant to protect; the whole situation reeked of Celdic all over again. Furthermore, given what she had learned from Count Egret a week prior, all the pieces seemed to be lining up for Duke Cayenne to stage something big in the future.

Tom cut in with a nervous laugh. "Ah, I apologize for that. I didn't mean to bring down the mood when you're all here for a field study! Rest assured, even if you're here on official school business, my team and I will do everything in our power to assist you. In fact…" He looked over his shoulder. "You can see the island coming into view now!"

The students looked ahead at the island that was growing imminently larger by the moment. Even from a distance, they could immediately spot some of Bryonia Island's most notable features, the most prominent of which was a high rocky mountain that towered above the natural formations below it. As the boat drew nearer, clusters of trees became visible on top of some of the rock formations with nary a sight of human industrialization. The exception to this was a pier that was protruding outwards, connecting the sea to a stone platform that led the way to a large house-like structure that presumably was the inn they were going to be staying in for the weekend.

The boat gradually came to a stop at the end of the pier, where a young woman with shoulder-length brown hair was waiting. She wore a simple white top, light brown khakis, and brown slip-on shoes.

"Welcome back, Manager!" she cheerily greeted. "Good to see your safe return."

"I'm back, Brittany," Tom answered back, standing up from the boat. "Everyone, this is Brittany, my co-manager of operations at the island. She's also the person who will be taking care of your field study tasks, so do take the time to get to know her, yes?"

Brittany lowered her posture. "It's very nice to meet you all, ladies and gentlemen of Class VII. I can help with unloading your belongings, if you want."

The students stepped out of the boat one by one while Tom and Brittany helped gather their belongings. Once everything was out of the boat, Tom saluted the agent that ferried them. "Thank you once again, Eston. Stay safe on the way back."

"Just doing my job, Tom," the agent replied. "Hope everything goes smoothly on your end."

With a tip of his hat, the agent started the boat engine and went on his way back to Ordis.

When the boat was a fair distance away, Tom cleared his throat. "On behalf of all of the staff here, allow us to formally welcome you all to Bryonia Island! I hope the next few days will prove to be an enriching experience for all of us."

* * *

Tom and Brittany led Group B to the inn, where they were shown to their rooms on the second floor. The students' rooms were adjacent to each other, with one for the boys and one for the girls.

Morgan took a deep breath to calm herself. "Now then…"

"..." "..."

Fie and Laura were standing on either side of her, with the former deliberately keeping herself from looking at the latter by staring at the beds. The layout of the room was similar to the one Morgan and Laura had inhabited in Celdic, with three beds spaced evenly apart on the left side, a door leading to the bathroom on the right side, and furniture like a table and chairs in the space between. Additionally, the room was situated at the corner of the inn, which meant that it had one window facing the ocean and another facing away from it in the direction of a stone path that led further inland.

Clearing her throat, Morgan decided to just get things over with. "We can discuss how things are going to play out in greater detail once we get back. For now, just focus on choosing a bed and unpacking your stuff. Although…" She directed her gaze at the beds. "Given the layout we currently have, I don't think you two have an issue with me taking the middle bed."

Fie gave her assent by making a beeline for the rightmost bed, which was closest to the window facing the ocean. Laura, meanwhile, went to claim the leftmost bed.

After they had settled down and made sure their equipment was in order, the three of them went downstairs to meet with the rest of their group in front of the inn.

"Any idea what they want from us right off the bat?" Machias inquired.

"I don't know," Elliot nervously confessed, "but it has to be something important, considering they told us to bring our equipment."

Fie let out a small yawn. "I just want to go to bed."

Morgan snorted. "Come on, Fie. You slept for most of the day already."

"Hmm…"

Morgan noticed that Laura was staring intently at something. "What's up, Laura?"

"Hm? Oh, I was simply looking at the tent over there."

"You mean that one?" Morgan pointed to a medium-sized rectangular tent located on the side opposite to the inn. The tent itself was made from modest purple cloth with a crescent moon pattern sewn onto the front and was surrounded by a metal fence on all sides save for a pathway that led into the tent. There was also a wooden bench just outside the tent, where two people were currently sitting and conversing with each other.

Before Class VII could start hypothesizing what the purpose of the tent was, a cheery voice called out, "Sorry to keep you waiting!"

The students turned their heads to find Brittany emerging from a small house next to the inn that was reserved for the management staff. Accompanying her was a young man decked out in hiking gear. Morgan's eyes squinted at the man; for some reason, he looked strikingly familiar…

"Everyone? I'd like you to meet Bengt." Brittany held her hand out, prompting Bengt to nod his head. "He'll be your tour guide for today."

"It's a pleasure to meet you all." Just as Bengt finished his introductions, he got a better look at the students and blinked. "Hm? Wait, I think I know some of you…"

"Oh? You've met them before?" Brittany asked.

"You're the guy who issued the jewel request in Bareahard," Fie recognized.

"That's right. I remember now." Machias scowled briefly, having reminded himself of the way the request had ended, but he quickly regained his composure. "So you work here?"

"That's right. I work as one of the island's tour guides. The manager was kind enough to let me take some time off so I could make the trip to Bareahard. I don't think I could thank you enough for all that you did."

"But we couldn't get you the jewel that you wanted," Machias said.

"It's quite alright," Bengt insisted. "Everything worked out in the end."

Fie raised an eyebrow. "It did?"

"Yes. Just after you left, the jeweler revealed that there was an anonymous patron who happened to come across another Dryad's Tear! I purchased it on the spot and still had plenty of mira to spare!"

"Really?" Morgan clapped her hands together. "That's wonderful!"

"It truly is! I hope that I'll be able to find that person one day."

Brittany loudly cleared her throat.

Bengt got the message and apologized. "R-Right. Sorry for getting off track. Anyways, we're on a tight schedule for your tour, so we should probably get going now."

"Right, the tour." Morgan nodded. "We're going to get a tour of the island. I'm guessing that's why you asked us to bring our equipment?"

"Right on the mark," Bengt affirmed. "We'll be circling the island's perimeter while also pointing out some of the major hotspots along the way."

"N-Now?" Elliot half-exclaimed. "But we just got here. Do we even have time to go around the island?"

"An entire lap around the island takes about an hour," explained Bengt. "Maybe around two if you want to look at every nook and cranny. By the time we get back, assuming we don't run into any trouble, we should return just in time for dinner."

"I know it's a lot to ask of you, considering you just arrived," Brittany said apologetically. "But believe me, if you want to complete your field study tasks on time tomorrow, you're going to want to have an idea of the island's general layout first."

"Will we not have a map to guide us?" Laura asked.

"You will, but that's not the point. There's an old Bryonian proverb that roughly translates to 'the quickest way to learn is to experience something firsthand'. Once you learn where everything is by directly going to those places, the map will start to make a lot more sense. That's just how we roll around here."

Fie nodded. "Makes sense. It's always important to scout enemy territory first."

Her comment was met with several stares from the rest of her group.

Bengt, however, laughed it off. "Well, we may not be fighting a war, but it's always important to be prepared, right? Okay, everyone. Let's move out!"

The students and Brittany followed their tour guide up the stone path that Morgan, Fie, and Laura saw from their window. Bengt gave a brief history of Bryonia Island as they walked, retreading most of the information they had heard earlier from Tom about the island's importance to the practice of animism. Eventually, the group reached a fork in the road, with the left path continuing along the man-made road and the right path diverging to a dirt road. Bengt hung a left to continue walking on the stone path, which eventually led to a clearing with a shrine at the far end.

"This is where the Bryonians held their ceremonial rituals," Bengt explained. "Paleontologists have been working to ensure that the site is well-preserved."

"Incidentally, this site is also where we hold our rituals, including the one two days from now," Brittany added. "It's a tradition for us to hold one during the summer festival periods just as the animists of old did."

"What sorts of things do you do for the ritual?" asked Morgan.

"Well, first, we light the two torches at the back of the shrine. Then, all of the participants gather in a line and give their thanks by offering up a possession of theirs and placing it on the altar. This represents us giving up our worldly possessions so we can commune with each other and the nature surrounding us. After everyone has had their turn, a dancer takes a torch and lights the other four torches around the dais. Once all four torches are lit, the ceremony is pretty much over."

"A dancer?" That piqued Morgan's interest. "You have one of those?"

Brittany nodded. "We sure do! Well, granted, it's more of a ceremonial title than anything. Theoretically, anyone can volunteer to play the role, but you have to undergo a series of 'cleansing rituals' before you can take part for the sake of spiritual purity and all that, so not a lot of people volunteer."

"Interesting. I'm getting excited just thinking about it!"

Once their time at the shrine was over, Bengt led the group back the way they came until they arrived back at the fork in the road, where they turned left to go in the other direction and progress further into the island.

* * *

"I know it's pretty predictable to say this…" Machias said as they walked. "But I wish the others in Group A were here to see this."

"I know what you mean," Elliot agreed. "Rean's been telling me how he's been getting into fishing lately, so all this open sea would make him feel right at home. And after looking at that waterfall and the beach back there, I bet Gaius would probably have had a field day painting some of the landscapes."

"I must admit, I had my reservations when I initially heard our group would be traveling to Bryonia Island," Laura confessed. "However, now that I have seen the breadth of what the island has to offer, I can confidently say that I have no regrets with our location."

Bengt let out a laugh. "Haha! Well, I'm glad we could change your mind. Anyways, as we're approaching the right side of the island, the focus is going to start shifting from nature's wonders to more man-made structures, starting with what is often considered the island's greatest landmark."

"And that would be…?"

The tour guide smirked in response. "You guys might want to start watching your step. The terrain's a bit uneven up ahead, and we wouldn't want you falling over from looking up."

"Up?" Upon turning the corner, Morgan looked up, as did her other classmates. "Oh. OH."

Towering above them was a giant stone colossus embedded into the side of the mountain. It was humanoid in shape, though only the body above the pelvis was visible, and the various arrangements of stone seemed to convey the image that the statue was some form of armored knight, with shoulder platings, a breastplate with the outline for a jewel in the middle, and a V-shaped helmet with a thin visor. While there were signs of moss growing on it to show the passage of time, words could not adequately describe the sheer presence the statue managed to achieve by simply existing. All the students in Group B hung their mouths wide open in awe.

Bengt chuckled to himself. "Yep. That's just about the reaction I've come to expect."

"Mhm! It's almost like every first-timer has the same default expression." Brittany commemorated the occasion by taking a quick snapshot with a small orbal camera. The students were too focused on the colossus in front of them to notice.

"This here is Bryonia's famous Guardian," Bengt introduced. "It stands at 80 arge high, and while it may not look like it up close, it's actually confirmed by researchers to have been made from a different material than the rocks surrounding it. Additionally, this is actually one of two giant statues in the empire. The other is in the Nord Highlands, way out to the east."

Morgan broke out of her awe-inspired trance and cocked her head in the tour guide's direction. "The Nord Highlands?!" she exclaimed.

"That's right," Brittany affirmed. "Nord, the place where Emperor Dreichels first started amassing his army during the War of the Lions. Seeing that you're all students at the school the emperor helped to found, I'm sure you're all familiar with it."

"We're not just familiar with it," said Morgan. "The Nord Highlands are where the rest of our class went for their field study. One of the members in that group even comes from there."

"Really?" Bengt looked pleasantly surprised. "Goodness, today is just full of coincidences."

"Do you happen to know anything else about the statue, sir?" Machias questioned.

Bengt breathed through his teeth. "Mm, unfortunately, no one knows any more about the statue in Nord than they do about this one aside from them being made from different materials. At the very least, this one has been around for a long time. Old Bryonian texts mentioned that the statue was here long before they made the island their home; that's why they called it their 'Guardian'."

"Old texts…" Laura murmured to herself. "Speaking of old tales, looking at this statue reminded me of the legend of the Great Knight."

"Great...Knight?"

"An old tale originating from the Dark Ages," she elaborated to Elliot. "Each region has its own variant on the tale, but there is one recurring theme: the appearance of a large knight as the central figure." Laura looked up at the stone colossus. "'When the land roils with the tide of war, a colossal knight, wreathed in flame, will come forth to quell the conflict.' That is the gist of the legend as I've come to know."

"What does that mean?"

She shook her head. "I cannot say. Unfortunately, the true meaning of the tale has been lost to time." Laura then stopped herself and blinked. It had just occurred to her that the voice who asked the question belonged not to Elliot, but to Fie. Was she actually taking part in a conversation for once? Laura quickly darted a glance at her just to be sure, but the former jaeger had already gone back to looking at the Guardian.

"Do you want to take a closer look at it?" Bengt pointed to a series of large stone protrusions that resembled a ladder. "If you want, you can climb up using that. It's a rather tall climb, but if you pace yourself…"

"Bengt?" Brittany shot him a cautionary look.

The tour guide coughed. "Right. I'm kidding, of course. It's actually against certain regulations if you climb up without the necessary gear unless you have a supervisor to accompany you."

"...Darn."

Everyone turned in surprise to Fie, who, unbeknownst to the rest of the group, had already snuck her way to the base of the stone ladder. If her body posture was to be of any indication, she looked ready to scale the cliff at any moment.

"Don't try it, Fie," Morgan warned.

The younger girl relented and returned to the group. "It was his idea," she said, pointing to Bengt.

"I didn't mean for you to take it literally," the tour guide apologized. "Me and my big mouth…"

"Let's just be glad no one got hurt," Brittany pointed out. "Should we move on?"

The group continued onwards on their trek around the island. They encountered some ruins of houses that the ancient Bryonians lived in, took the time to gaze at some more natural rock formations, and came across an excavation site where a team was unearthing a large fossil. Eventually, the group made their way back to the waterfall they had encountered near the beginning of the tour.

"Say, Brittany?" Morgan asked as they walked. "Would you mind if I asked a question?"

"Not at all," she replied.

"You're the co-manager of operations, right?" Morgan began. "And if Tom is the senior manager, why isn't he the one handling our field study tasks?"

"I've been wondering about that myself," Machias piped up. "In our past field studies, it was usually the job of the highest ranking person in the location to assist us with our accommodations unless those duties were explicitly confirmed to have been delegated to another person. If we were looking at titles, Tom would fulfill that role for Bryonia Island."

"And you'd be right," Brittany affirmed. "In fact, Tom was the one that Thors reached out to when talks about the field study first began. As of right now, however, he's pouring all his time and efforts into preparing and overseeing the ceremony on Sunday. I wanted to help ease his load, so I convinced him to let me handle the field study."

"That's very thoughtful of you," Elliot remarked.

"Hehe. Thanks. You know, I first started out as Tom's secretary. Maybe that's why I still sometimes treat him like he's my superior. Over time, though, we came to rely on each other as equals; that's when he proposed that I be given the title of co-manager. Tom is a good negotiator and tries not to let the little things bother him, which makes him a perfect fit as the face of our island operations team. I lean more towards supporting others, so I stay in the background while making sure everyone in our team gives it their all. We're both managers, but we manage different things."

"Different leaders do different things…" Morgan murmured to herself. 'If Rean is like the glue connecting Class VII at the center, what can someone like me do to support everyone?'

As Morgan began to contemplate this question, a loud shriek snapped her out of her reverie.

"Wh-What was that?" Elliot asked nervously.

"Sounded like something big." Fie instinctively reached for her weapons, only for Bengt to hold out his hand.

"Don't draw your weapons," he told her. "They'll only give it the wrong idea if it spots you. Just act natural."

"It?"

A large shadow streaked across the ground, prompting everyone to look up. Flying high up in the sky was a bipedal dragon with wings for arms and a long pointed tail. Its appearance was rather thin and wiry for something of its size, but it still made quite the impression with the amount of ease through which it sailed through the air.

Morgan gasped with realization. "Is that...a wyvern?"

"That's a Scalyptera," Bengt clarified. "They're a race of flying reptilians that date back to ancient times. They get very territorial sometimes, but otherwise they're pretty docile. You do NOT want to get on their bad side, let me tell you."

"I assume that you had some sort of previous experience?" Laura wondered.

The tour guide laughed sheepishly. "Sure did. Nearly lost a leg from trying to run away from it."

"Impressive…"

"Morgan, what did you call that thing? A 'wyvern'?" Fie spoke up. "What's the difference between that and a dragon?"

"Wyverns only have two legs while dragons have four," answered Morgan. "They're both large winged reptiles of death at the end of the day, so a lot of people just put them under the 'dragon' label and call it a day, but there IS a difference. All wyverns are dragons, but not all dragons are wyverns."

"I never would have expected you to express an interest in Erebonian folklore, Morgan," Laura remarked.

"I've got my own interests on the side. It's not like I do homework or study tactics all the time."

"Or eat a lot," Fie snarked.

"That's just taking in daily supplements!"

As if on cue, her stomach growled.

"Oooh, and speaking of taking in daily supplements…"

Brittany chuckled. "Hehe. Well, fortunately for you, we're pretty much in the home stretch. Just hold out a little longer, okay?"

Morgan gave a salute. "Yes, ma'am."

Everyone shared a laugh at that.

* * *

When the group finally made it back to the inn area, the students thanked Bengt for his guidance and promised to see him again sometime. Brittany then escorted the students into the inn for dinner, where they were served a local dish called a paella for dinner. The dish consisted of a mix of rice, vegetables, and blue marlin fish that, according to the chefs, was caught by an angler that was currently staying at the inn.

"I'll hand you your field study tasks tomorrow morning, so feel free to take it easy tonight. If there's anything that isn't clear or you need a step in the right direction, you can come find me in the house next door."

"Sure thing." "Good night!"

Brittany waved good-bye and left the inn, leaving Machias and Morgan by themselves on the first floor.

"So the rest of the night is ours…" Morgan turned her head to face her classmate. "Guess I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah. See you tomorrow. And, um…" Machias leaned in closer. "Good luck with those two. If there's anything Elliot and I can do to help, please let us know."

"Of course. I'll be counting on you two these next few days. Let's make this field study a success!"

Morgan held out her fist, which Machias bumped with his own. The two then walked up the stairs together and parted for the night in front of the boys' room. Morgan went a little further down the hall to arrive at the girls' room. Upon opening it, she was surprised to see that the room was currently occupied by only one person.

"Where's Fie?" Morgan asked. "I thought she went up with you."

Laura, who was sitting on her bed, shook her head. "Fie said that she wanted to get some air. She hasn't come back since."

"She did?" Morgan was puzzled. "Weird. I was on the first floor the whole time and I didn't see her step out."

"Now that is peculiar."

Morgan walked over to her bed and sat on the side facing her classmate. "Well, I'm sure she'll be back sooner or later."

"Then when will she be open to negotiations?" Laura continued to press. "If not tonight, then when?"

"Whenever Fie feels like she's willing to give you a chance."

The normally calm swordswoman looked like she was about to start flying into a tirade, but she promptly forced herself to rein in her emotions. "I'm sorry," she sighed. "I've been trying to improve on my tendency to act 'straightforward', but then I think of how little time we really have to solve this issue, and…"

Morgan's expression softened. "Well, I can't exactly say that your worries are unfounded. I can see that you've been trying to take the initiative, which is good. It's just that…" She paused for a moment. "Even if we get you two to form an ARCUS link, it doesn't really solve the root of the problem."

"You're talking of our differences in ideals, correct?" Laura guessed. "It is the same as with Machias and Jusis; we must ensure that we can continue working together in the long run."

"Pretty much, but the issue here is more than just, 'I can't tolerate you because you're one of them.' One of you is willing to come forward, so it's up to the other to make the next step, and right now Fie is deliberately trying not to take that step."

"How can you tell?"

"You know how Fie likes to push people's buttons?" Morgan pointed out, remembering her conversation with Instructor Sara. "That's her way of testing people. Ever since we left this morning, I've noticed that she's been pushing yours a bit too frequently. Now that you two are in the same group together, I'm guessing she's trying to see what makes you squirm."

"But why? Does she not recognize the situation we are in?" Laura untied her hair ribbon, allowing her long blue hair to cascade down her shoulders. "Frankly, sometimes I don't know what I should be doing anymore."

At her classmate's honest confession, Morgan decided to drop her optimism. "I wish I could say, 'it's fine, don't worry about it.' But…" She hunched over and clasped her hands together. "Even though I made you two promise that you'll find some way to fix this by the end of this weekend, there's a limit to how much I can interfere. Right now, the only thing you can do is keep trying and hoping that you'll get through to her. Sooner or later, Fie will realize that trying to dissuade you is useless; when that happens, you've already passed the first test."

"Which returns to my previous question: why is Fie refusing to talk with me?"

Truth be told, Morgan had come up with a few theories in her mind, but at the moment, they were just that: theories. She didn't want to risk getting Laura's hopes up only for them to fall in the off chance that she could be proven wrong.

She fell backwards, sprawling her upper body on her bed. "I don't know," she eventually replied.

* * *

Unbeknownst to Morgan and Laura, Fie had been listening to their entire conversation from her seated position on the roof of the inn.

She was no stranger to eavesdropping on important conversations. Heck, this wasn't even the first time she listened in on something where the topic was centered around her.

But for some reason, after listening to her classmates, Fie began to feel a twinge of guilt.

She knew that things couldn't stay like this forever. Being in the same group as Machias and Jusis for the past two field studies was proof enough that a fractured party didn't lead to anything good.

In her endeavors to become more honest with others, Fie began by revealing some of her darker secrets so her classmates wouldn't have to find out later. Since they had to put up with her every day, it worked for most of them; Laura was the notable exception to the rule. Despite that, for the first few days since she came back, she felt like she had a chance to settle down and catch her breath.

Then she started hearing rumors behind her back. She paid them no mind at first, but upon closer inspection, she realized that those rumors were starting to bring out the negative outlooks that people were holding back regarding her other classmates. Even Sara was subject to criticisms from the upper-class students, since she was the one who brought Fie here in the first place. Fie had tried to figure out where they originated from, but there was no such luck. Hearing Patrick list all those awful things was essentially the final nail in the coffin. Everything he said? They were all the things that had been festering over the past month.

Was she really satisfied with this? Did she really want a selfish chance to grow at the cost of everyone else's well being?

And just when she thought she didn't have any more problems to worry about, Laura suddenly came forward, willing to give her a chance. When Fie found out, she couldn't comprehend it at first. Laura was one of the few people who seemed exempt from all the rumors. She was so direct. So honest. She was the knight to Fie's jaeger. To Laura, someone like her should be the farthest thing away on her radar.

But here she was: willing to become one of the derided just for a chance to get to know her.

It was no wonder, then, that Fie started to slip back into her old habits. The last thing that she needed was for even more people to take the fall that was originally meant for her. She would work with Laura for the duration of the field study, get a passable grade, and pretend like nothing ever happened.

But was she really satisfied with this?

Fie tucked her legs in closer with her arms, curling into a ball. Deep down, she knew the real answer.

"I just…"

Her contemplation was suddenly interrupted by the sound of a window opening. Curious, Fie stood up and carefully crawled over to the right side of the roof. Peering her head over the ledge, she saw it: a hooded figure slowly poking its head from the window to look around. Fie immediately retreated her head and stayed completely still.

'This smells like trouble…'

She heard a small wire sound coming from below, prompting her to carefully look over the edge of the roof again. The figure was in possession of a grappling hook and was currently using it to quickly and quietly descend to the lowest level. Whoever this person was, they were clearly professional. The window was open ever so slightly so that it wouldn't draw much attention to it from the outside and the figure could easily relatch from below. Eventually, the mysterious figure reached the bottom, reeled their hand back, and recalled the grappling hook. After one last look around to ensure that there was no one around, they darted up the slope that led further into the island.

Fie checked her equipment. She still had her gunswords and ARCUS on her person, as well as her personal grappling hook with a new wire to replace the one Sara broke on the first day of school (she still didn't forgive her for that; it was a gift from the boss). She didn't have any stun grenades or smoke bombs with her, and with how quickly the hooded figure was moving, it looked like she would have to make do without them for now.

Perching up like a cat, Fie leapt off the roof of the building toward the rocky cliffside. When her feet touched the surface, she crouched and leapt again, redirecting her momentum towards the ground. She landed on the ground with a somersault.

'Here we go.'

Fie darted up the slope, hoping that she would be able to catch up to the mysterious figure in time.

* * *

 **Author's note: Hello everyone! As of this writing, it's almost been two months since I last updated this fic. Thank you for being patient with the release of this chapter, especially with how crazy everything is these days regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. I'm currently quarantined at home, and I hope you all are too. I know sheltering in place can be boring and inconvenient, but please do whatever it takes to stay healthy out there.**

 **Also, have you heard? _Trails of Cold Steel IV_ has been confirmed to receive a localization in the near future! How will everything play out in the end? I can't wait to find out! (Even though I've heard some rather negative sentiments overseas...)**


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